Luke Bryan Jokes New Idol Judge Carrie Underwood Should 'Up Her Therapist' to 'Deal with' Him and Lionel Richie

Luke Bryan’s advice for his soon-to-be American Idol costar, Carrie Underwood? Get therapy — and lots of it.

Ahead of season 23 — which will see the contestant-turned-superstar joining Bryan, 48, and Lionel Richie on the judges’ panel — Seattle radio host Gabe Mercer asked the “Country Girl (Shake It for Me)” singer if her has any advice for Underwood, and his answer was self-deprecating, to say the least. 

"Up her therapist,” Bryan joked in a TikTok posted by Mercer. “If she has a therapist, she’s probably going to have to double to deal with me and Lionel.”

The country star took things a step further still, offering to reimburse Underwood for the services.

"Maybe I should credit her,” he added. “Do therapists do gift cards where I can call her therapist and gift her a voucher?”

It was first announced that Underwood — who won the fourth season of Idol back in 2005 — is going to replace Katy Perry as a judge on the reality singing show on Good Morning America on Thursday, Aug. 1.

The announcement emphasized how full-circle the moment is for Underwood with throwback footage of her Idol debut, which was filmed when she was heading from her hometown in Checotah, Oklahoma to audition for the show two decades ago.

"I remember being at home in our little house and seeing on TV that there were auditions in St. Louis,” she said in the clip. “My mom said, 'If you want to go, I'll drive you.’ ”

“I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show," she added.

And, reflecting on the stardom and accolades she’s achieved since — including 28 No. 1 singles and eight Grammys, to name a few — she said, "I'm proud of everything that I was able to accomplish on the show, and I'm so proud of everything that I've accomplished since.”

In a press release about season 23 of Idol — which will premiere in spring 2025 — Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group said, "This upcoming season marks 20 years since Carrie won America's hearts on Idol and launched her successful multi-Grammy Award-winning career. As a former Idol and dynamic musical force, she brings a remarkably unique perspective to one of the most popular shows of television.”

“This is a full-circle moment both for the show and for audiences at home who have been tuning in for over two decades,” he continued. “Welcome home Carrie."

Host Ryan Seacrest — who crowned Underwood winner back in 2005 — will return for season 23, along with Bryan and Richie, who first joined the judges' table back in season 16.

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Back in May, before her new role as an Idol judge was revealed, Underwood reflected on her days on the series by posting a throwback photo from her audition day.

“⭐️REFLECTION of the week: contestant number #14887 received her golden ticket to Hollywood!” she wrote. “I can’t believe it has been almost 20 years since auditioning for @AmericanIdol! #ReflectionOfTheWeek.”