AMERICAN IDOL to Name Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan as Judges

TMZ reports that the AMERICAN IDOL reboot has finally scored two superstar judges in Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, who join Katy Perry. The news comes just in time, as AMERICAN IDOL has been struggling to seat judges at the table.

As previously reported by BroadwayWorld, production needed to start on the competition show, as Katy Perry's World Tour just launched this month. As a result, shooting for the show's auditions are set for this Tuesday October 3rd.

In order to keep Perry as a judge and start filming, sources say that AMERICAN IDOL went way over their budget to get Richie and Bryan, who are both going to earn $10 million and $13 million, respectively. Perry is earning a whopping $25 million, while returning host Ryan Seacrest is earning between $10 and $15 million.

In order for the producers to make a profit, the show has to be an absolute hit. But, that might be hard when audition attendance was the lowest its every been for the show.

The announcement of the two new judges can be made as early as today. A premiere date for AMERICAN IDOL has not been set.