Lionel Richie is returning to “American Idol” as a judge despite his recent health scares.
The musician made the announcement during Luke Bryan’s star-studded Luke Bryan & Friends concert at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.
During the performance, Richie, Bryan and Carrie Underwood confirmed they will all return to the ABC singing competition show’s judging panel for its upcoming 25th season.
The two country music stars made the announcement live on stage, while Richie, 77, appeared virtually in the midst of his recent health issues.
Bryan and Richie have been on the “American Idol” judging panel since season 16, while Underwood joined in season 23.
Richie’s announcement comes on the heels of his kids’ concern over their father’s health and their hopes for him to slow down in his career.
“Lionel’s kids really want him to slow down. They’re concerned about him and worry that he’s pushing himself too hard, especially after everything that’s happened over the past few months,” a source exclusively told Page Six on Tuesday.
“Seeing him have these health scares is obviously scary for them,” the insider added. “And they wish he would give himself more time to rest and just hit the pause button once in a while.”
The musician shares daughter Nicole, 45, and son Miles, 32, with ex-wife Diane Alexander, as well as daughter Sofia, 28, with ex-wife Brenda Harvey-Richie
The insider noted that despite their concerns, Richie’s children “would never expect him to completely give up” performing.
“The reality is, though, they know that’s not really Lionel. He loves what he does and he’s going to want to keep performing for as long as he possibly can. That’s just who he is at his core.”
As Page Six previously reported, the singer was hospitalized for the second time this month after experiencing another heart issue.
In a statement shared with Page Six Tuesday, Richie’s rep said, “Lionel underwent a common procedure for Atrial fibrillation (AFib). The doctor said everything went perfectly. Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon.”
His latest health scare comes just weeks after he spent three days in the hospital following a concert in St. Louis, Missouri, on Aug. 29, where he struggled to complete his performance.
The four-time Grammy winner subsequently checked himself into a local hospital, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit.
He was also hospitalized in June after becoming dizzy during the opening night of his 26-city North American tour with Earth, Wind & Fire in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Richie’s next three tour dates, scheduled for San Francisco, Chicago and Columbus, have since been canceled.
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