After experiencing a drop of approximately 10 million viewers, American Idol has secured Grammy and Oscar winning, season 3 alum Jennifer Hudson as a judge for season 13, reports E! Online.
Multiple reports confirmed to E! News that season 1 winner, Kelly Clarkston, is also on board to help the flailing show which has dipped in popularity since The Voice has experienced such success.
Hudson placed 7th during her season 3 run on Idol, and Fantasia Barrino was the winner.
There are reports that season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert, who lost to Kris Allen, and season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken, who lost to Ruben Studdard, are also being considered as judges.
Current judgesNicki Minaj, Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson and Keith Urban will reportedly not be returning.
The “superstar-alum” theme is an attempt to reclaim the show’s popularity after a dismal season that focused more on Minaj and Carey fighting than the actual talent on the show. Candice Glover went on to win season twelve.
As previously reported by NewsOne, Carey called in to The View to speak with her friend Barbara Walters, telling her that Minaj threatened her by saying, “if [I] had a gun, [I] would shoot the bi*ch.”
See The View clip below:
But this new formula has FOX hopeful that the show can get back on track.
“It’s Idol alums bringing in the next generation,” says one Fox source to E! about the shift in direction.
Jackson is the only remaining Idol judge who has been with the show since it premiered in 2002. The original team of judges also included Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell.
Reports: Jennifer Hudson Returning To ‘American Idol’ As Judge was originally published on newsone.com
