'American Idol' Judge Luke Bryan Addresses Katy Perry's Planned Exit

When Katy Perry announced her plans to leave American Idol after judging the show for seven seasons, fans of the hit competition series did not see the news coming at all. While viewers couldn't believe it, there was one person unsurprised by Katy's reveal, and it was none other than one of her fellow judges.

When Luke Bryan spoke to Taste of Country for an article published on April 6 about Katy's impending exit from American Idol, he opened up with his thoughts. While he shared he would miss having Katy on the judges' panel alongside him and Lionel Richie, he disclosed how the announcement didn't throw him off guard.

"I had heard whispers that she was thinking about it—it wasn't like a huge shock," he shared with the outlet. "I think she kinda just got caught up in the moment with [Jimmy Kimmel] and maybe announced that she was done."

As folks may remember, the way Katy shared the news of her leaving American Idol came while she appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! ahead of the show's season 7 (season 22 overall) premiere. At the time, she revealed that her fellow co-stars (including host Ryan Seacrest) weren't yet aware of this fact, which aligns with Luke's remarks about finding out about her exit.

Despite Katy leaving after the season wraps, Luke did acknowledge how the twosome's bond goes deeper than American Idol.

"It's been a good run with Katy, and she and I have developed a great friendship and to work alongside her, I mean, heck, I was there before her daughter was born, and now her daughter is three or four years old," he continued. "She knows that no matter what her next endeavors are, that she can pick up the phone and call me and check in and say hey."

While it's still unknown who will replace Katy as the next American Idol judge, it's good to see their friendship will remain intact even after she leaves. And since she's still on American Idol for a little while longer, we'll need to tune in and see her and Luke's dynamic play out for the rest of the season!