Season 24 of “American Idol” has been full of surprises, but arguably the biggest one so far has been Ryan Seacrest’s announcement that one of the show’s most successful alums, EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson, will return on April 20, 2026, for the first time in over a decade.
Hudson will serve as a mentor to the Top 9 for Disney Night, but will also become a rare guest judge alongside Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. On April 16, JHud opened up on her talk show about going back to the show that started it all for her.
Jennifer Hudson Says She ‘Cannot Believe’ She’s Heading Back to ‘American Idol’
On the April 16 episode of “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” which was recently renewed for a fourth season, Hudson told her audience, “Y’all, I cannot believe it has been 22 years since I was first on ‘American Idol.’ Can you believe it? I hopped on that ‘American Idol’ roller coaster and it has been going ever since.”
After her shocking elimination from the Top 6 in 2004, Hudson went on to win an Oscar for her role as Effie White in “Dreamgirls.” Now the host of her own daytime talk show, Hudson has also won multiple Emmys, two Grammys and a Tony, officially making her one of only 22 EGOT winners in the world and among the most successful “American Idol” alums in the series’ history.
Sitting down during her latest show to chat about her “American Idol” journey, she told her audience, “I run into people all the time on the street and they be like, ‘I voted for you!’ … And I always say, “Y’all do realize that was over 20 years ago? But now it’s 22 years ago!”
I was 22 then and I am 44 now,” Hudson continued as the audience cheered, “and I’m so grateful to be here at ‘The Jennifer Hudson Show.’ What? 22 years later! That show was so significant to my entire life, which is why I’m so excited to return as a mentor and a guest judge to the place that I used to call home. I cannot believe I’m saying this!”
Jennifer Hudson Says the Top 9 ‘American Idol’ Contestants are ‘Superstars’
GettyContinuing her comments during the April 16 episode of her talk show, Hudson told the cheering audience, “And the beautiful part is I feel like all of you guys have been on that journey with me for me to be here 22 years later.”
“So I have to say a special thank you … and it is a full circle for me as well,” she said. “This week I’ve been mentoring the top nine finalists as they take on the songs from the iconic Disney night.”
“I cannot wait for you guys to see all of these talented people perform,” she noted. “It’s been such a joy to work with these talented young artists because, you know, it’s superstars up in there, you know, and I can’t wait to cheer them on and for everybody to see them.”
During her season of “American Idol,” Hudson noted that she performed the Disney tune “Circle of Life” from “The Lion King,” when Elton John was on the show as a mentor.
“This is testing my mind because I’m thinking back to 22 years ago,” she marveled, remembering that before auditioning for the show, she had been a singer on the Disney Wonder cruise ship and used to perform “Circle of Life” for passengers.
“Now that I get to return the favor with the other contestants and work with them,” Hudson said. “You know, that’s why I believe in so many others because they believed in me when I had no experience at anything like that. So, I love to cheer everybody on.”
You can catch Hudson on the next “American Idol” live episode, via ABC or Disney+, on April 20 at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
I remember when you were on “American Idol” and Simon Cowell said something derogatory about a dress you wore that your girlfriend made for you to wear on Idol. Isn’t it funny how you remember things?