Songwriter Kara DioGuardi, who joined the ‘American Idol’ judges’ panel this past year, will return for the upcoming ninth season of “Idol,” Fox announced today.
With the show set to premiere in January, two of the show’s three original judges — Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson — are set to return as well, but the fate of Paula Abdul is still uncertain.
DioGuardi, a Grammy-nominated songwriter, was the first new member of the panel since the show debuted in 2002.
TV’s No. 1 show brought her in as it began to lose viewers, a trend that continued in the most recent season despite its hold on the top ratings spot.
