'American Idol' aired what was supposed to be the show's final episode on Fox last year. The show was suffering from lagging ratings and competition from other talent competition shows such as 'America's Got Talent' and 'The Voice.' But earlier this month, ABC announced that the show would be returning to its network sometime in the 2017-18 television season. Katy Perry was announced as the lead judge of the show last week, and now we know exactly how much the "California Girls" songstress will earn for her services.
Katy Perry will reportedly earn $25 million from ABC to serve as the lead judge on 'American Idol.' According to sources, the show's executives felt that they needed to bring a big-name personality for the show prior to the show's presentation last week. According to TMZ, a source told them that "Katy had all the leverage. If ABC ended up announcing the show without a judge, they'd be screwed."
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This isn't the first time 'Idol' execs have offered Perry a huge payday in order to serve as a judge. Back in 2012, the show reportedly offered the 32-year-old $20 million to serve as a judge, but she turned it down.
Perry released a statement regarding the opportunity, "I am honored and thrilled to be the first judge bringing back the American Idol tradition of making dreams come true for incredible talents with authentic personalities and real stories."
Perry's deal eclipses that of Jennifer Lopez, who signed a $15 million deal with 'Idol' to serve as a judge. Ryan Seacrest, who also earned $15 million as a longtime host, is reportedly close to returning to the show.
