At this point, it’s really anyone’s guess as to who will return. Even though Luke Bryan has a great time on the show, it’s hard to tell if he will be up to returning, as well as Carrie Underwood. There’s no word on Lionel Richie thinking about leaving, so he is probably safe. But as for Bryan, all fans really have to do is wait and see:

The country music star recently spoke with Taste of Country Nights, where he opened up about the future of Idol and whether he and his fellow judge Carrie Underwood will be back next season. Underwood joined Bryan and Lionel Richie for Season 23, replacing Katy Perry.

A new season of American Idol will premiere on ABC in 2026, and Luke Bryan is pretty sure Carrie Underwood will return as a judge. However, he’s not sure about his own plans just yet.