Carrie Underwood almost gave in to one big temptation before her ‘American Idol’ win: ‘I wanted to...’
Following her 'American Idol' Season 4 win, Carrie Underwood made history after debuting as a judge on Season 23, bringing her journey full circle. Since winning the title in 2005, Underwood has become a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, earning multiple Grammy Awards. However, her success didn't come without challenges, which also included resisting a major temptation during the 'American Idol' finale.
In a YouTube video from June 2025, Underwood revealed that she vividly remembers the intense final moments of her 'American Idol' win. Underwood said, "The final moment, when Ryan's got the envelope in his hand, I wanted to look over.” Instead, she chose patience as she revealed, "Those few seconds just felt like a lifetime," as per Entertainment Now.
Underwood further elaborated about the tense moments before winning 'American Idol,' saying, "You know, I was trying not to pass out or get sick." She further recalled managing her nerves before the results were announced. The memory was so emotional, it brought her to tears. She also praised host Ryan Seacrest’s handling of the moment. "I feel like he dragged it out the perfect amount of time," she said with a smile.
Notably, during the 'American Idol' Season 23 finale, fans speculated that runner-up John Foster may have seen the results early when Seacrest opened the envelope just before the winner was announced, as he appeared slightly disappointed. However, Foster cleared up the moment in an interview with TV Insider, saying, "I barely noticed what was written in the envelope." He further said, "I was in a total blur." Foster added that he had already made peace with the outcome, sharing, "I knew I was at peace with being runner-up. Jamal is such an incredible performer. I was at peace. I really was. It's a true honor to be runner-up."
Talking about Underwood’s future as a judge on 'American Idol,' it remains uncertain. According to Star magazine, producers are also unsure if the 42-year-old singer will return, as reported by Yahoo! Entertainment. An insider revealed, "She's not sure she wants to do another season," and added, "She’s let bosses know she's not 100 percent sure." Notably, Underwood, who shares two sons with husband Mike Fisher, has reportedly had a "sometimes rough time" during her judging stint on the show.
Underwood has openly shared how tough it is to juggle her career and being a mom, as she once confessed, "You feel guilty about every single thing, every decision you make, everything you do." An insider further said that producers tried to ease things for her by making room for family time during 'American Idol' filming, saying, "That was a huge perk for her." However, there’s another issue causing friction and that is her paycheck. According to the insider, Underwood earned only half of what Katy Perry made as a judge, saying, "There's talk Carrie wants more money. It's been a bumpy ride and she’s not sure it’s worth the pain without a nice incentive."