American Idol Judges 2020: The Fourth Judge Is Katy Perry’s Baby

American Idol season 18 is underway, and Hollywood Week begins on Sunday, March 22. This season is especially exciting because judge Katy Perry is pregnant with her first child.

When Perry and her fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie announced her pregnancy with the American Idol fandom, Richie teased that there was a fourth judge on the panel for season 18 of the reality singing competition: Katy Perry’s baby.

Before sharing the news on Idol, Perry revealed that she was pregnant in her music video for her new single “Never Worn White.” Following the warm response she received from fans, she wrote on Twitter “love u guys so much. was a bit nervous about sharing something so personal like the song n the bump n I [have] never gotten this much love n support, it’s overwhelmingly lovely. thank u”

Katy Perry Has Hinted That Her Baby Is Due in Summer 2020

When Perry unveiled that she’s expecting her first child with fiancee Orlando Bloom’s, she wrote on Instagram “Let’s just say it’s gonna be a jam packed summer,” implying that she’s not only due in summer but that their wedding is planned for Summer 2020 as well. Normally, her due date should not have conflicted with American Idol filming, as last season’s finale aired on May 19, before the start of summer.

That is subject to change since American Idol filming paused in light of the Coronavirus outbreak. According to Billboard, new shoots for season 18 were suspended on March 19, and while live shows were originally scheduled to begin sometime in April, “no additional information was available on when those episodes might air” when it was announced that filming had paused.

The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have impacted not only American Idol‘s filming schedule but Perry and Bloom’s wedding. A source told E! News “She postponed the wedding and no other dates are being discussed. She is resting at home and taking one day at a time. At this point, she isn’t thinking about the wedding and when it will happen. She is just slowing down and trying to enjoy her pregnancy. She is relieved that she made it home and is feeling good.”

Bobby Bones Is ‘American Idol’ Season 18’s ‘In-House Mentor,’ Not a Judge

While Bobby Bones has been a fixture on American Idol for the past few seasons, and has appeared this year during some of the audition episodes, he is not a judge with Bryan, Perry, and Lionel. Bones’s role as “in-house mentor” means he’s responsible for supporting the artists throughout the season as they develop their talent in the hopes of staying in the competition.

When ABC announced that Bobby Bones was returning to American Idol season 18, executive producer and showrunner Trish Kinane said “We are delighted to have our judges Katy, Luke and Lionel as well as in-house mentor Bobby back on American Idol. They are all credible, hugely successful artists and will bring their expertise, passion and energy to the search for America’s next superstar. They have an undeniable chemistry together making for another fun and exciting season!”

READ NEXT: ‘American Idol’ 2020 Live Stream: How to Watch Episode 4 Online