Katy Perry is being temporarily replaced by ‘big time star’ on American Idol

Singer will be absent from future episodes

Katy Perry and Lionel Richie are being temporarily replaced on American Idol after accepting another job opportunity.

Singer Perry, who has been a judge on the series since 2018, has been invited to perform at King Charles III’s coronation concert.

Richie will also play the event, which is set to take place on Sunday (7 May).

US network Fox has permitted the pair to step away from the series, with their co-judge, country musician Luke Bryan, saying that “big time” stars will fill their positions.

“The people that we have filling in – contestants have used their songs many, many times,” Bryan told Entertainment Tonight, self-deprecatingly adding: “A lot more than mine.”

It has now been revealed that Ed Sheeran and Alanis Morissette will be stepping in for Perry and Richie.

Perry recently came under fire for critiquing the appearance of a contestant, and also for “mom-shaming” Sarah Beth Liebe, who ended up quitting the show due to the comments.

During the episode, which aired on 5 March, Liebe told judges that she had given birth to three children before the age of 25. Perry then got up from her chair and pretended to faint, as Liebe said: “If Katy lays on the table, I think I’m going to pass out.”

The “Roar” singer then replied: “Honey, you been laying on the table too much.”

After her audition aired, Liebe posted a TikTok about her appearance on the show, in which she admitted that she found Perry’s joke “hurtful”.