Carrie Underwood shared photos with former American Idol judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson as the pair returned to the show on Monday night’s episode (May 4).

Abdul served as a guest judge and Jackson served as a guest mentor this week. Underwood posted photos on Instagram hours before Idol kicked off. She wrote in one caption that Abdul “is Forever My Girl! …Who’s tuning in to see her come back home?” In another, the Grammy-winning country star posted a throwback photo with “one of my favorite people from [American Idol]. The one and only, [Randy Jackson],” ahead of his return to mentor the Top 5.

Abdul, Jackson and Simon Cowell served as the three original judges of American Idol. Abdul departed from the show in 2009 after eight seasons; Jackson exited in 2014 after a total of 13 seasons; and Cowell left in 2010 after 9 seasons. The show premiered in 2002, when Kelly Clarkson became the first-ever Idol champion. Underwood won the show’s fourth season in 2005. She returned as a judge alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan last year, marking two decades since her career-launching win. On Monday evening, the Top 5 Idol contestants performed with season 6 contestants Taylor Hicks, Elliott Yamin, Kellie Pickler, Paris Bennett and Bucky Covington, who also returned to the show 20 years after competing.

Underwood shared a series of photos on Instagram on Tuesday (May 4), which also included Richie, Bryan, Abdul, host Ryan Seacrest, 2025 winner Jamal Roberts, and the season 5 contestants. Underwood said, “once Idol family, always Idol family.”

American Idol airs on ABC on Monday nights from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET/PT. It’s available to stream the next day on Hulu. See Underwood’s posts below.

Corey Calhoun