Another season of American Idol is here, and it’s time to embark on the journey of discovering the next top talent. For several seasons, the show’s judging panel has featured Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Katy Perry. However, Katy recently announced her departure from the competition series to focus on her career and make new music. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, she shared, “I mean, I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse to my own beat.” She continued, “I’ve been in the studio for a while so [Lionel and Luke] figured something is coming. I love the show so much but I wanna go and see the world and maybe bring new music.”
While her exit marks the end of an era, her replacement is sure to excite fans. Taking over Katy’s seat is none other than American Idol winner Carrie Underwood‘, who first rose to fame when she won the competition in 2005. The country superstar expressed her excitement about joining the show in a new role, sharing during an interview on Good Morning America, “It’s really cool to be on the other side of things.” She continued, “To get to play music and sing is wonderful, and we get to help somebody, or many other people hopefully, achieve that.”
As the competition unfolds and a new winner emerges, fans can tune in every week to see the journey play out. Keep reading for all the details on when and where to watch the show.
The competition airs live on Sundays at 8:00 PM EST. If you have cable, you can watch it on ABC.
For those without cable, American Idol is available to stream on Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Fubo, and DirecTV Stream, all of which carry ABC.
The first episode of American Idol 2025 premiered on Sunday, March 9. While the season is already underway, there’s still plenty of time to catch new episodes every Sunday. If you missed any, you can rewatch previous episodes on the streaming platforms listed above.
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