Legendary singer Lionel Richie has confirmed that he will return to American Idol as a judge for Season 25.
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Richie, 77, officially announced his return on Thursday during Luke Bryan's concert at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Bryan was performing as part of the star-studded Luke Bryan & Friends concert. He and Carrie Underwood will also return to the judging panel for the upcoming season.
Lionel Richie Confirms American Idol Return
Bryan and Richie have served as American Idol judges since Season 16, while Underwood joined the panel in Season 23.
Richie did not appear at the Nashville concert in person, instead making a virtual appearance to confirm his return.
The announcement comes just days after he underwent an atrial fibrillation ablation, a minimally invasive procedure designed to restore a normal heart rhythm.
A representative for the singer said the doctor reported "everything went perfectly".
They added that Richie is "doing great." The singer will now take some time off to recover before returning to the stage.
In late August, Richie struggled to finish a concert in St. Louis, Missouri, before receiving hospital treatment in an intensive care unit.
Doctors reportedly investigated possible heart-related problems before discharging him a few days later. They initially explored "slight dehydration" as a possible explanation for the issues.
Health Issues Have Interrupted Lionel Richie's Tour
Several videos circulated online showing Richie sitting down multiple times during the St. Louis performance before addressing the crowd about his health.
"Some things have been happening on this tour that kind of shook me up a little bit, because I couldn't figure out what the hell was going on," he told the audience.
"I went back to the doctor, and he said, 'You are suffering from dehydration.'"
As he continued to struggle, Richie said, "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down," before abruptly leaving the concert.
Health issues have interrupted his 26-date North American tour several times in recent months, with the singer also requiring hospital treatment in June.
Richie fell ill onstage at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, forcing him to end the concert early and seek medical attention.
However, Richie is expected to remain busy throughout the remainder of the year.
He is still scheduled to perform six shows at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas across October and November before heading to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to round out 2026.
