Katy Perry recently announced her exit from American Idol after judging the show’s contestants for seven seasons. Perry’s announcement came as a surprise to her fellow judges, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. One rumor suggests that ABC is planning to overhaul the show after Perry’s departure by firing Bryan and Richie and replacing them with a new trio. The rumor also has it that the Firework artist was shown the door after her recent rude remarks on contestants.
The trio began judging the show ever since it moved to ABC in 2018, with Ryan Seacrest returning to host the show. Bryan and Richie are also reportedly not happy with Seacrest, who has been allegedly supporting the idea of a new trio of judges.
Katy Perry’s American Idol Exit Worries Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie
On her recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Katy Perry informed her home audiences that she would no longer be judging American Idol after its current 22nd season. The singer shared that the show connected her to the heart of America, but she felt that it was time for her to “feel that pulse of [her] own beat.” She added that she would come back in later seasons if the showrunners would have her one day.
However, one insider report suggests that there’s a lot more behind-the-scenes drama that Perry failed to address on Jimmy Kimmel‘s show. According to the insider’s revelation to RadarOnline, the Dark Horse singer was a difficult judge on the show and the showrunners were already planning to fire her. Katy Perry’s few comments towards the show’s contestants have drawn flak in recent times.
She was accused of mom-shaming contestant Sara Beth Liebe and unjustly criticizing Nutsa Buzaladze’s costumes on the show. While Perry’s rude behavior and the subsequent exit becomes a hot topic among American Idol fans, new controversies are brewing up about the show. According to another insider report on RadarOnline, Perry’s co-judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie fear that they’re getting the axe from the show.
Both Bryan and Richie were being paid breadcrumbs compared to Katy Perry, however, they have raked in over $100 million from the show’s seven seasons. According to the source, the bosses at ABC want to replace all three judges after this season to shake things up. The insider told RadarOnline:
“Katy’s departure has them worried this could be the end for them as well. The show’s made them richer than ever. But bosses clearly want to liven things up — and maybe they won’t stop with replacing only Katy.”
Bryan and Richie also allegedly have issues with the show’s host Ryan Seacrest. The insider shared that it was Seacrest who suggested a new lineup after Perry’s exit. The judges feel that the host is sucking up to the bosses and making himself look good, rather than supporting them. The source shared:
“They’re angry at Ryan and bracing for him to throw them under the bus because he’s already started blabbing about how they may need to come up with a fresh new lineup with Katy gone. Luke and Lionel feel they deserve a lot more respect and they’re not getting love from Ryan, who’s cozying up to bosses and making himself look good!”
The salary difference between the four faces of American Idol would explain the power dynamics on the show and why Bryan and Richie are allegedly on the edge.
The Massive Salary Difference Between Katy Perry And Others On The Show
According to Page Six, Katy Perry’s salary to appear in Season 18 of the show was a whopping $25 million. This huge salary was half of ABC’s planned budget for bringing in known faces on the show. An insider told Page Six that several executives were against Perry’s salary, but ABC President Ben Sherwood badly wanted her on the show. This decision meant that they had to pay the other judges way less. The source told Page Six:
“[CEO/President] Ben Sherwood blew the budget on Katy without thinking how that would impact other areas of the show budget. He gambled on her because of her appeal to a younger audience and huge social-media following. But Katy is effectively taking money from the other judges, who then had to be paid way less.”
The most shameful aspect of this decision was that Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie were offered just $2.5 million, almost a tenth of what was offered to Perry. Both the music legends felt insulted at the substantially low salary. After several negotiations, ABC decided to pay them each $7 million per season. Interestingly, host Ryan Seacrest received double the salary of these two judges, earning $15 million per season.
The first episode of American Idol Season 22 premiered on February 18, 2024, on ABC. The previous seasons are available for streaming on Hulu.
