American Idol 2023: Is Lionel Richie leaving American Idol?

Another season of American Idol has come to a close on ABC, the sixth season in the show’s storied history since ABC stepped in to reboot the canceled FOX series. In its sixth season on ABC, Idol has continued to enjoy success on its new network as a solid performer among ABC’s lineup.

While the ABC seasons haven’t yet produced a star of the same magnitude of Kelly Clarkson, each season of the series has welcomed a wave of talented young performers. These artists have gifted audiences with some memorable moments, but the heart of the show has been the amazing chemistry of the judges.

In Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, ABC has found a trio who perfectly complement one another using their unique experiences in the industry to help mentor the show’s young artists. They also have amazing chemistry as a judging trio, giving fans some truly hilarious interactions over the years with their banter being a major draw for audiences.

American Idol has been renewed for season 22 at ABC, but will Lionel Richie be coming back as part of the next season’s judges panel?

Is Lionel Richie leaving American Idol? (2023 updates)

At this time, ABC has not yet confirmed the judges for season 22 of American Idol, but it is expected that all three of the show’s current judges will be coming back including Lionel Richie.

Now, there is a chance that something could change during the summer when ABC begins contract negotiations. However, all signs seem to be pointing in the direction of the show’s current trio re-upping for next season.

Per Deadline, ABC traditionally negotiates new contracts with Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Katy Perry during the summer which is when they normally will sign on for the next season. It’s expected ABC will once again hold contact talks during the summer meaning we should know soon whether any unexpected cast changes will be coming.

Lionel, Katy, and Luke have proven to be a winning combination for ABC as Idol remains a top performer for the network.