‘American Idol’: Katy Perry and Lionel Richie’s Replacements Revealed

American Idol fans will not have a reason to be upset with Katy Perry this weekend because she won’t be on the show. Perry and fellow judge Lionel Richie will miss Sunday night’s live episode because they were both invited to perform at King Charles III’s coronation concert in London that same day. ABC revealed late Monday that Alanis Morissette and Ed Sheeran will appear in their place.

Morissette will be on hand to mentor the final eight contestants and will join Sheeran at the judge’s table. Country star Luke Bryan, who has served with Perry and Richie as an Idol judge since ABC revived the series in 2018, will be on hand for the episode. Sheeran and Morissette will also perform while viewers vote to decide on the Top 5 contestants.

“It’s big time. It’s big time,” Bryan told Entertainment Tonight on April 28 about the upcoming episode. “The people that we have filling in, contestants have used their songs many, many times. A lot more than mine!”

Last week, Perry and Richie accepted the invitations to perform during the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle on May 7, the day after King Charles’ coronation. Andrea Bocelli and Take That are also among the performers. Actor Hugh Bonneville was picked to host the event.

Perry and Richiehave worked with King Charles in the past on charitable causes. Richie served as the first Global Ambassador for the Prince’s Trust and is chairman of the Global Ambassador Group. Perry is an ambassador for Charles’ British Asian Trust and has worked with international charities like UNICEF.

“I’m grateful I get to go. I met His Majesty-to-be a few years ago and he named me as one of the ambassadors to his organization, The British Asian Trust, which is an organization that helps fight to end child trafficking,” Perry recently told Entertainment Tonight. “So I’m also an ambassador for UNICEF, and it really aligned with my values. That’s mostly why I’m going, to be an ambassador and to say, ‘Hey, this is me from the USA.’ No, but it’s so cool.”

Morissette shot to fame with her 1995 album Jagged Little Pill and has won seven Grammy Awards. She previously performed on Idol in 2010. She released her latest album, The Storm Before the Calm, in June 2022. As for Sheeran, his new album, – (Subtract) will be released on Thursday. He has two simultaneous tours planned for this year, the Subtract Tour, which features more intimate shows at smaller venues, and the bigger Mathematics Tour.

American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays on ABC at 8 p.m. ET. The final eight contestants this season are Colin Stough, Haven Madison, Iam Tongi, Megan Danielle, Oliver Steele, Warren Peay, We Ani, and Zachariah Smith.