- By Andre Rhoden-Paul
- BBC News
Image source, Getty Images
Katy Perry has been a judge on the show since 2018
Katy Perry has revealed she is leaving American Idol after seven seasons as a judge on the talent show.
Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday night, the 39-year-old singer said: “I think this probably will be my last show, my last season for Idol.”
Explaining her decision, she said she wanted to “go see the world” and hinted at releasing new music.
Perry has been a judge on the ABC show since 2018.
The Roar singer made the announcement after being asked by Jimmy Kimmel how long she would stay on American Idol.
Explaining her decision, she said: “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.”
But she did not not completely rule out a future return to the show. “Maybe I’ll come back if they have me one day.”
Image source, Getty Images
Perry will appear for a final season of American Idol alongside co-judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan
Perry appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live ahead of the premiere of American Idol’s twenty-second season on Sunday, where she sits on the judging panel alongside soul and R&B legend Lionel Richie and country singer Luke Bryan.
Asked about how her co-judges reacted to the news, she said: “They know I have some things planned for this year… I’m creating space for my new wingspan.
“They figured, I’ve been in the studio for a while. So they figured something is up.”
“But they were cool… and then they did the bit with us which was fantastic.
“And you know whose work that was, that was Lionel Richie. He can convince anyone to anything.”
Perry also discussed the viral moment of her trying to find her seat at the Coronation Service in Westminster Abbey.
Watch: Katy Perry searches for her seat at Coronation
“I was looking for my seat. There’s no assigned seating, which was kind of interesting,” she explained.
She agreed that people sitting behind her may have had their view obscured by her lilac Vivienne Westwood fascinator, adding “she could barely see” herself.
Perry shot to fame in 2008 with the song I Kissed A Girl, going onto dominate the charts in the early 2010s. Her last album Smile was released in 2020.
She joined American Idol in its sixteenth season as part of its reboot on ABC in 2018, following in the footsteps of previous judges like Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj.
She is married to actor Orlando Bloom and they have a daughter named Daisy Dove, aged three.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
