Jennifer Hudson to return to 'American Idol' as guest judge and mentor

Jennifer Hudson is set to return to the show that introduced her to the world. She will appear on American Idol’s Disney Night episode, serving as guest judge and mentor for the nine finalists who will take the stage to perform iconic Disney songs.

Her appearance marks her first time back on the show in a decade. She was a finalist on season 3 in 2004 and last appeared in 2015, when she performed “Trouble” with Iggy Azalea.

JHud has come a long way since her Idol days, achieving EGOT status and now hosting The Jennifer Hudson Show. Her most recent album, The Gift of Love, was released in October, and she recently voiced a character in the animated film Goat.

Jennifer has also recently joined the production team for the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, after previously starring in and winning an Academy Award for her role in the 2006 film adaptation. She is set to go on tour with Josh Groban in June.

Disney Night on season 24 of American Idol will air April 20 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and stream on Disney+, with episodes available the following day on Disney+ and Hulu.

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