‘American Idol’ Superstar Says No to Judging Season 23

ABC Kelly Clarkson won't judge "American Idol."

Fans won’t be seeing “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson sitting on the judge’s panel.

“No. No. I can’t do that, only because I promised my kids. I was like, ‘I wanna be there as much as I possibly can.’ And it would put me in L.A., and that’s why I had to quit ‘The Voice,’ which I love that team. And I miss them so much,” she told ET.

Clarkson moved to New York City with her kids following her divorce from Brandon Blackstock.

“I wanted a life for us. And we enjoy the park every day and we enjoy each other. As a parent — people get this — you only get so much time until they don’t want to hang out with you. That’s the reason [I can’t do Idol]. It’s my kiddos,” she said.

Clarkson has two kids with her ex; River Rose, 9, and Remington, 8.

Katy Perry Is Open to Returning to ‘American Idol’ in the Future

Back on February 12, Katy Perry announced that she was leaving “American Idol” — the show that Clarkson is best know for. She was the first season winner, after all.

“So I think this will probably be my last season for Idol,” Perry said on an episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” 

“I love ‘Idol’ so much, it’s connected me with the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out to feel that pulse of my own beat,” she explained. One of the reasons that Perry is leaving the show is because she wants to tour.

“I love the show so much but I want to see the world. Maybe I’ll come back if they have me one day,” she told Kimmel.

Three months after the announcement, ABC renewed “American Idol” for another season.

Meghan Trainor Is a Frontrunner to Replace Katy Perry

The one person whose name seems to be popping up all over the place when it comes to replacing Perry on “Idol” is Meghan Trainor.

During an interview with E! News, judge Luke Bryan shared the rumors that he’s heard. Though he didn’t say Clarkson’s name, he did say Trainor’s.

“We’re waiting to hear who the show is going to pick. I know that Pink, her name was thrown around, Miley Cyrus,’ he told the outlet. “The whole thing about that role is you gotta have personality and you gotta have fun with it every day. And I think Meghan [Trainor] has fun with her career, she’s kind of like me. She doesn’t take herself too serious, she has fun with her music. So, yeah, that’d be great,” he continued.

As it turns out, Trainor wants the gig.

“There’s nothing I want more in life than to be a judge on ‘American Idol.’ That is my ultimate bucket list dream come true. Please, please consider me on your show. Please ‘American Idol!’ Please! I’m ready. Alright, yeah, I would love to,” Trainor told ET in early June.

Bryan will be joined by Lionel Richie and a third judge when the show returns.

“I’ll support her or whoever all the people at ABC decide to go with. And it’ll be exciting to see who they decide to fill Katy’s seat,” Bryan told E!

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