'I had heard whispers': Luke Bryan opens up on Katy Perry's American Idol exit and announcing it on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Luke Bryan addressed the news of Katy Perry's exit from the hit reality singing competition American Idol while appearing on a recent edition of the radio show Taste of Country Nights.

In an interview conducted on April 8, 2024, Bryan, the country music superstar and American Idol judge, hinted that he had an impression that Katy Perry would be leaving the show this year. He said:

"I had heard whispers that she was thinking about it, it wasn't like a huge shock."

Katy Perry had previously disclosed her intention to exit the show after this upcoming season during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on February 12, 2024. Perry has served as the judge on American Idol for seven seasons, ever since it was moved to ABC in 2018.

---

Luke Bryan opens up about Katy Perry leaving American Idol

During an exclusive interview with Taste of Country Nights, Luke Bryan gave insights into the departure of fellow judge Katy Perry from American Idol.

Referring to Perry's announcement on the Jimmy Kimmel show, Bryan noted that Perry might have decided to announce her exit emotionally and was "caught up" in the moment. Bryan stated:

"I think she kinda just got caught up in the moment with Kimmel and maybe announced that she was done."

Bryan spoke further about their friendship, mentioning they were on the show before Perry's daughter was born. He shared:

"It's been a good run with Katy, and she and I have developed a great friendship. And to work alongside her, I mean, heck, I was there before her daughter was born, and now her daughter is 3 or 4 years old."

He continued:

"Just seeing her be a mother through this whole process. I mean, it's just really been fun getting to know Katy."

Bryan reiterated his support for Katy Perry outside of their shared tenure on the show. He said:

"She knows that no matter what her next endeavors are, that she can pick up the phone and call me and check in and say hey."

Katy Perry joined American Idol as a judge in season 16, alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. Perry first appeared on the show as a guest judge in season 9 and also performed on the show.

On Monday, February 12, 2024, Perry officially announced her expected exit from American Idol on Jimmy Kimmel's Live show. When the host asked her how long she had been planning to stick with the show, Perry revealed that she had plans to perform at the June 2024 Rock in Rio festival and intended to move on afterward. She stated:

"I love Idol so much, it's connected me with the heart of America. But I feel like I need to go out to feel that pulse of my own beat. I love the show so much but I want to see the world, maybe I'll come back if they have me one day."

After the candid revelation, the host, Jimmy, asked whether Bryan and Richie knew about this, as they were the co-judges. Perry noted that they would find out tonight.

Further, the host asked if there were plans for the replacement. Perry stated that nothing has been finalized yet. Still, she, Bryan, and Richie will now match the seven-season spell of original American Idol judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson, who helped launch the show on Fox in 2002.

The official confirmation from the American Idol of Katy Perry's exit is yet to be revealed.

---

American Idol's latest update

American Idol 2024 premiered on February 18, 2024, on the ABC television network. Ryan Seacrest returned as the host, and Perry, Bryan, and Richie are the judges.

This season is the seventh on the ABC network and the twenty-second overall. Currently, the Top 24 contestants for American Idol have been finalized. They passed through Hollywood Week to compete for the title and record label.