Broadway Vet Lea Michele Will Mentor on Upcoming Season of AMERICAN IDOL

Broadway veteran and GLEE alum Lea Michele has announced via twitter that she will be returning to the small screen as a mentor on the next season of American Idol.

Lea Michele is best known for her performance as "Rachel Berry" on the critically acclaimed, Golden Globe, Grammy, and SAG award-winning FOX television series Glee. She has been nominated for an Emmy, a SAG Award, and multiple Golden Globes. The GLEE cast recordings have sold over 10 million singles and garnered over 20 top 40 US Billboard Hot 100 hits. Lea released her debut album 'Louder' in March of 2014, marketing her step into her career as a solo artist with an incredible vocally-driven record. The album debuted at No. 1 on iTunes and in the Top 5 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. That same year, Lea added best-selling author to her resume when she released her first book, "Brunette Ambition", which was a NY Times Best Seller. She released her second book, "You First," the following year. She recently starred in the dark Ryan Murphy comedy SCREAM QUEENS on FOX.

Helping to determine who America will ultimately vote for to become the next singing sensation are music industry forces and superstar judges, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Emmy® Award-winning host and producer Ryan Seacrest returns as host of the beloved series.

"American Idol" is produced by FremantleMedia NORTH AMERICA and CORE Media Group's 19 Entertainment. Executive producers include FremantleMedia North America's Trish Kinane and Jennifer Mullin, along with executive producer Phil Mcintyre representing CORE Media. FremantleMedia International distributes the series worldwide.

ABC Entertainment airs compelling programming across all day parts, with new shows including fall's No. 1 new drama, "The Good Doctor," and "Kevin (Probably) Saves the World"; and current hits such as groundbreaking dramas "Designated Survivor," "Quantico," "Scandal" "How to Get Away with Murder," "Grey's Anatomy," "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." and "Once Upon a Time." The ABC Television Network is also home to the Emmy Award-winning "Modern Family" and trailblazing comedy favorites "black-ish," "American Housewife," "Fresh Off the Boat," "The Goldbergs," "The Middle" and "Speechless"; hit game shows "$100,000 Pyramid," "Celebrity Family Feud," "Match Game" and "To Tell the Truth"; reality phenomenon "Shark Tank," iconic "The Bachelor" franchise, long-running hits "Dancing with the Stars" and "America's Funniest Home Videos," and the return of "American Idol"; "General Hospital," which has aired for over 50 years on the network, along with daytime talk show "The Chew"; and late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" The network also boasts some of television's most prestigious awards shows, including "The Oscars®," "The CMA Awards" and "The American Music Awards."