GRAMMY- & EMMY-NOMINATED POP ICON KATY PERRY SET TO JUDGE ON ABC'S 'AMERICAN IDOL'

At today's upfront presentation at David Geffen Hall in New York City, ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey announced that Grammy- and Emmy-nominated music luminary Katy Perry is set to judge the next generation of artists on ABC's revival of the beloved music competition series "American Idol."

Perry, who rose to fame in 2008 with the release of singles "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold," has garnered an impressive twelve Grammy nominations, five American Music Awards, 14 People's Choice Awards, four Guinness World Records, and an Emmy nomination for her Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show, among others. Billboard Magazine's 2012 "Woman of the Year" has sold over 100 million records throughout her career, making her one of the bestselling musical artists of all time.

"I am honored and thrilled to be the first judge bringing back the American Idol tradition of making dreams come true for incredible talents with authentic personalities and real stories," said Perry. "I'm always listening to new music, and love discovering diamonds in the rough - from mentoring young artists on my label, or highlighting new artists on my tours, I want to bring it back to the music.

"We are thrilled to be ushering in this new era of 'American Idol' with Katy leading the charge," said Dungey. "Her incredible accolades speak for themselves. We are so lucky to have this strong and talented woman help inspire and guide the next crop of artists as they pursue their dreams."

"American Idol" is produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment, a division of CORE Media Group. Executive producers include FremantleMedia North America's Trish Kinane and Jennifer Mullin. FremantleMedia International distributes the series worldwide.

About ABC Entertainment:

ABC Entertainment airs compelling programming across all day parts, with current hits including groundbreaking dramas "American Crime," "Designated Survivor," "Quantico," "Scandal" "How to Get Away with Murder," "The Catch," "Grey's Anatomy," "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," "Once Upon a Time" and "Secrets and Lies." The ABC Television Network is also home to the Emmy-winning "Modern Family" and trailblazing comedy favorites "black-ish," "American Housewife," "Fresh Off the Boat," "The Goldbergs," "Last Man Standing," "Dr. Ken," "The Middle," "Speechless" and "The Real O'Neals"; reality phenomenon "Shark Tank," the iconic "Bachelor" franchise and long-running hit "Dancing with the Stars"; "General Hospital," which has aired for over 50 years on the network, along with daytime talk show "The Chew"; and late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live." The network also boasts some of television's most prestigious awards shows, including "The Oscars(R)," "The CMA Awards," "The American Music Awards" and "The Billboard Music Awards."

About FremantleMedia North America:

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is a premier content studio. FMNA and its portfolio of companies, including Random House Studio, Original Productions and 495 Productions, create entertaining and innovative scripted and alternative programs for network, cable, syndicated and digital partners. Its diverse, critically-acclaimed and award-winning slate includes American Idol (ABC), America's Got Talent (NBC), Family Feud (SYN), Let's Make A Deal (CBS), The Price Is Right (CBS), The Great Christmas Light Fight (ABC), Deadliest Catch (Discovery), Jay Leno's Garage (CNBC), Married to Medicine (Bravo), Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party (VH1), Blue Collar Millionaires (CNBC), Ice Road Truckers (HISTORY), Storage Wars (A&E), Celebrity Family Feud (ABC), To Tell The Truth (ABC), Match Game (ABC) and American Gods (STARZ), among others. FMNA also operates BUZZR, a retro game show channel that launched in 2015, and is available in the top 10 U.S. markets, and 65 percent of the country. FMNA is the U.S. arm of global media giant FremantleMedia, which includes a distribution arm, FremantleMedia International, a digital and branded entertainment division and a kids & family entertainment business. As one of the world's largest and most successful creators, producers and distributors of TV brands in the world, FremantleMedia's comprehensive global network has operations in 31 countries, creating over 11,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 420 individual titles. The company also distributes more than 20,000 hours of content in over 200 territories. For more information follow us @FMNATV and visit our Facebook page.

About CORE Media Group:

CORE Media Group (CMG) is a leading independent media and entertainment company that creates quality programming for linear television and digital platforms through its in-house creative team, as well as a myriad of partnerships with well-established industry leaders including Sharp Entertainment and B-17. Through CMG's19 Entertainment, it co-produces "American Idol," the gold standard of music competition programs, and the enduring franchise, "So You Think You Can Dance" (returning on FOX for a 14th season). CMG's 19 Recordings has been a part of the successful music careers of platinum artists Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry and Colton Dixon, just to name a few. The newest television series under the CORE umbrella include "The Wall" for NBC and "Caraoke Showdown" for Spike.