At this point, it’s really anyone’s guess as to who will return. Even though Luke Bryan has a great time on the show, it’s hard to tell if he will be up to returning, as well as Carrie Underwood. There’s no word on Lionel Richie thinking about leaving, so he is probably safe. But as for Bryan, all fans really have to do is wait and see:

"American Idol" Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood will join Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan as a judge on Season 23 nearly 20 years after her win.

Underwood — an eight-time Grammy Award winner — launched her career after winning Season 4 of “American Idol” in 2005. She will return to the series as a judge in spring 2025. “This upcoming season marks 20 years since Carrie won America’s hearts on ‘Idol’ and launched her successful multi-Grammy Award-winning career.