"American Idol" is pulling out all the stops for its final season. Host Ryan Seacrest said Thursday that all former judges, including Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson will be part of the show's fifteenth and final season, according to Access Hollywood.
"I've spoken to all of them recently and we as a team have talked to them about coming back to do something for the final season," he told Access Hollywood. "They are going to do it, it's just a matter of figuring what to do with them."
"We will have the former judges back. The plan is to have all of them back. They've all considered it and, I think, are enthusiastic about coming back and saluting the show," Seacrest also told E! News.
No word on how the former judges will be involved in the show.
No judges will take the place of the show's current judges - Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. - especially since all three have agreed to return for the final season, People reported.
Cowell, Jackson, and Abdul were judges on "American Idol" for eight seasons; but as each judge left the show one by one, producers decided to bring in celebrity judges, including Steven Tyler, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, and Ellen DeGeneres.
If fans remember, Minaj and Carey weren't exactly polite to one another during their season 12 stint on the show. DeGeneres recently called her season nine experience on the a mistake, telling Howard Stern that agreeing to be a judge was "one of the worst decisions I've made."
In May, Fox network announced the cancellation of "American Idol" after the show had struggled with ratings for several years. Despite coming to an end, fans should still thank the show for launching the careers of several amazing recording artist, including Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.
The final season of American Idol premieres Wednesday, January 6 at 8/7c on Fox.
