American Idol premiered in 2001 with Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul behind the judges’ table. But Abdul left the show after Season 8 in 2009, followed by Cowell one year later, and then Jackson after Season 12 in 2013.
Since then, there have been several other celebrity judges on the show, but Season 24 will be bringing back two of the OGs for one night only. The May 4 episode will feature the return of Jackson and Abdul, who will serve as mentors to the Top 5 contestants. Abdul, meanwhile, will also get back behind the table to serve as a guest judge alongside Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood.
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