American Idol is wrapping up its 24th season (the ninth season on ABC) on the 2026 TV schedule, with the final set to air on Monday, May 11. Carrie Underwood, meanwhile, will be wrapping up her second season as a judge after joining the singing competition series last season to replace Katy Perry. As one of the most famous Idol contestants, Underwood is no stranger to the series, but there is one tough hurdle she’s had to clear as a judge, according to Lionel Richie.
Underwood has had to make some big decisions, and she's a pretty tough judge, which shouldn’t be surprising. She knows what it takes to win American Idol, taking it all in Season 4 over 20 years ago. The Grammy winner has also received quite a lot of boos this season for her constructive criticism. While she seems to be doing just fine as a judge, Richie, who has been on the panel since Idol was revived in 2018, told Us Weekly that she took a while to really get used to having to be tough during her first season:
