CARRIE Underwood’s return to American Idol has led to a major change for season 23 – and the shakeup left the new judge ‘emotional,’ a source exclusively revealed to The U.S. Sun.

8

Carrie Underwood at the American Idol season 8 press lineCredit: Getty

8

Finalist Carrie Underwood performs onstage the American Idol Finale: Results Show held at the Kodak Theatre on May 25, 2005 in Hollywood, CaliforniaCredit: Getty
Carrie, 41, was announced as a co-judge alongside fellow country star Luke Bryan and music icon Lionel Richie last year.

The season where she is making her judging debut will air exactly 20 years after she competed and eventually won the show in season 4.

While coming back to the show that “started it all” is emotional enough – producers made specific choices this season that tugged on Carrie’s heartstrings even further, a source told The U.S. Sun.

For the Showstoppers Showcase during Hollywood Week, producers chose to film at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.

The venue is the same exact space Carrie filmed her Hollywood Week at as a contestant back in 2005.

“The Orpheum Theatre was Carrie’s first time performing on a real stage and being in LA so it has a lot of sentimental value.

“That was definitely a consideration when it came to the decision of choosing where to film for this season.

“It was the first time Carrie had been on a plane. The first time she performed in front of the audience. It really is what started it all,” the insider said.

8

The Orpheum Theatre hosted season 23’s Showstoppers roundCredit: The U.S. Sun

8

Carrie Underwood films as a judge on American Idol at the Orpheum TheatreCredit: The U.S. Sun

8

Carrie Underwood performs at the Orpheum Theatre during her Hollywood Week in 2005Credit: Fox
The theatre is said to be very “sentimental” for Carrie – which led to an “emotional moment” when she was filming this current season.

The return to the venue marks the first time American Idol has filmed at the theatre since 2021.

For Hollywood week last year, the judges, which included former panelist Katy Perry, filmed at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.

In 2022, the crew filmed the same round at the Los Angeles Theatre for season 21.

American Idol judge Carrie Underwood breaks down in tears and weeps ‘I’m not okay’ as Luke Bryan consoles star on air

The show last filmed Hollywood Week at the Orpheum Theatre back in 2021 for season 20 – where former Idol contestants Lauren Alaina, David Cook, and Jordin Sparks acted as a mentor for the contestants.

For season 23 this year, 62 contestants from all over the country advanced to the prestigious Showstoppers round.

The Showstoppers showcase is the contestant’s first time singing in front of a live audience – and was also Carrie’s first time judging in front of a crowd.

Carrie’s return to the show gained a lot of buzz – but the Before He Cheats songstress has remained mostly quiet the past several weeks since her controversial performance of singing America The Beautiful for Donald Trump at the 47th Presidential Inauguration.

Just a few months after she was announced as the new Idol judge, Carrie received mass backlash for performing at the inauguration – which results in a massive technical blunder heard around the world.

The previous American Idol winners include:

The noise made many question what Carrie’s future on American Idol now looks like, however, a source close to the series claimed that she is not going anywhere – for now.

“Carrie’s job is not in jeopardy” and as of now, there are “no talks of firing her. She will continue her role as a judge,” an insider said.

They continued: “It doesn’t conflict with any of her Idol taping dates and [the inauguration] is before this season airs, so it doesn’t go against anything in her contract.

“But there are producers that don’t approve and are worried.”

The insider explained that part of this fear stems from fans already loudly threatening to boycott the show altogether.

“I don’t think anyone at the show knew about Carrie singing at the inauguration ahead of it coming out, it caught them all off guard.

“A lot of viewers are already speaking of a boycott, whether or not that’s true or just noise will be seen after the ratings come in but the conversation it now brings Idol into is not what producers want.

“They don’t want the show to get political, they want it to be an escape from that.”

8

(L-R) Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Ryan Seacrest attend the American Idol Season 8 Judges Photo Call on October 02, 2024Credit: Getty

8

Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan film Hollywood Week in 2024Credit: ABC

8

Carrie Underwood performs at the Presidential Inauguration for Donald TrumpCredit: The Mega Agency