Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson Return to American Idol as Guest Contributors

Two iconic figures from American Idol's early years are heading back to the show for a special appearance.

Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson will both participate in the May 4 installment of the ABC competition, which airs Monday night. The pair will take on mentoring duties with the Top 5 finalists ahead of the live performance episode.

During the broadcast itself, Abdul will join the judging panel as a guest alongside regular judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. Jackson will contribute as part of the mentoring segment.

Abdul's tenure as a full-time judge spanned the show's first eight seasons, making her the inaugural judge to exit the program. She previously made a guest judging appearance during season 19. The competition is currently in its 24th season.

Jackson served as a full-time judge through the first 12 seasons before transitioning to an in-house mentor role in season 13, his final year with the show.

The American Idol franchise began its run on Fox for 15 seasons before being revived by ABC starting with season 16. Ryan Seacrest remains the sole constant across every iteration, having hosted since the beginning. The show has cycled through 15 different full-time judges throughout its history.