Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson Return to ‘American Idol’ for Class of 2006 Reunion

Two American Idol OGs are back where they belong. On the May 4 episode of the series, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson returned to the show.

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Alongside Simon Cowell, Abdul and Jackson served as Idol judges when the show premiered in 2002.

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Abdul left the series in after season 8 in 2009, though she returned as a guest judge in 2021. Jackson, meanwhile, departed Idol after its 12th season in 2013. His absence didn’t last long, though. Jackson returned as the in-house mentor the following year.

Both Abdul and Jackson additionally made an Idol appearance in 2022 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show.

This time around, both Abdul and Jackson returned to Idol to mentor the Top 5 contestants of season 24: Hannah Harper, Jordan McCullough, Keyla Richardson, Braden Rumfelt, and Chris Tungseth.

Additionally, Abdul pulled double duty, joining Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood on the judges’ panel.

What to Know About Season 24 of American Idol

Abdul and Jackson aren’t the only familiar faces on Idol‘s latest episode.

In honor of its class reunion episode, Idol welcomed back stars from season 5 to sing duets with the remaining hopefuls. Past winner Taylor Hicks returned alongside former finalists Paris Bennett, Bucky Covington, Kellie Pickler, and Elliott Yamin.

At the end of the episode, America’s votes will be tallied to determine the Top 3 contestants of season 24. Those three finalists will move on to compete on the show’s season finale, which will air on May 11.

During the three hour-long episode, Alicia Keys will make a special appearance. The superstar will serve as a guest mentor to the three remaining contestants, giving them insight and wisdom as the vie for the Idol title.

Keys will also perform twice throughout the night to celebrate the milestone of her 2001 debut album, Songs in A Minor. One of Keys’ performances will be done alongside the Top 3 contestants.

American Idol airs Mondays on ABC.

Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Apple Music