Past And Present 'American Idol' Judges Will Join Forces On The Last Season

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Longtime "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest has confirmed that the original three judges -- Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul -- will be part of the show's fifteenth and final season in 2016. But he'd like to see all its past and present judges reunite and make peace, or something like it.

"We will have the former judges back," Seacrest told E! News. "The plan is to have all of them back. They've all considered it and, I think, are enthusiastic about coming back and saluting the show."

Cowell, Jackson and Abdul were together for eight seasons. As they departed one by one, the network brought in celebrity judges, including Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, Ellen DeGeneres, Keith Urban and Harry Connick, Jr.

Not everybody had a good time. Carey, who was shown in Season 12 sparring with Minaj, called doing the show "the worst experience of my life." DeGeneres said agreeing to be a judge was "one of the worst decisions I've made." The comedian told Howard Stern she had a hard time breaking contestants' hearts.

At least one person sees some golden primetime TV drama in an "American Idol" reunion.

"I'd like to see Ellen and Simon sitting very close to each other, right next to each other, showing people that chemistry," Urban joked with E! News.

The final season of "American Idol" will debut on Jan. 6 at 8 p.m. on Fox.

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