Barry Manilow will be one of the celebrity guest judges on the current season of “American Idol,” Billboard.com has learned. In live episodes airing April 19-20, Manilow will sit in as a judge alongside Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. The episodes will feature the contestants performing Manilow songs, and Manilow himself will perform on the April 20 edition.
“American Idol,” currently in its third season, is Fox’s highest-rated series of the year so far, according to Nielsen Media Research. Producers are currently trying to persuade Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder to be guest judges on the show. [story]