Harry Connick Jr. will fill the third judging seat for the 13th season of American Idol.
Connick Jr.’s addition to the hit Fox series comes after Dr. Luke was forced to back out of his potential deal due to a conflict of interest. Luke has a deal with Sony, a rival company of Idol’s Universal.
Connick Jr. was officially added as a judge on Friday, Aug. 30 Contact Music reports. Fox had hoped to hire another male to sit alongside Jennifer Lopez and returning judge Keith Urban following last season’s childish banter between Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj. Minaj and Carey’s attitudes on the show did not sit well with the older female demographic.
The former Will & Grace actor has always been a desirable candidate for Idol, being named as a judge hopeful on more than one occasion.
Contact Music notes that auditions for the upcoming season are underway. With Connick’s addition to the show, Idol is expected to air as previously planned.
Image: Fox