Australian Idol first hit our screens back in 2003 and a lot has changed since then, including the judging panel.
Season 11 hits our screens on February 2 but who are the judges? Meet them below.
Who is judging Australian Idol 2026?
Just like last year, we have the same trio of judges behind the desk.
Marcia Hines, Amy Shark, and Kyle Sandilands are all returning to guide the contestants through the competition.
Marcia was a fixture on the judging panel from 2003-2009 and returned as a guest judge in 2023. Since season nine in 2023, she has been a permanent member, known for her warm and encouraging demeanour.
Meanwhile Kyle Sandilands, a.k.a Australia’s answer to Simon Cowell, served as judge from 2005-2009. Like Marcia he came back in 2023.
As for ARIA Award winner Amy, she’s been around for the newer generations since 2023 after her rise to fame with her hit Adore.
Amy’s already shared a sneak peek of herself sitting behind the Australian Idol desk in October, captioning the below video, “Ok what’s she thinking 🧐??..?”
Who were the past Australian Idol judges?
Millenials will remember the early seasons of Australian Idol when the judges were Marcia Hines, Mark Holden and Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson.
But there have been some notable international stars on the panel in previous years.
For season eight in 2023, Meghan Trainor and Harry Connick Jr. gave guidance to the singing hopefuls.
Meghan rose to fame with her hit All About That Bass and won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist back in 2016, while jazz crooner Harry is a three-time Grammy winner.
Who is hosting Australian Idol 2026?
We don’t just have the same judges in 2026, but we have our usual hosts.
Ricki-Lee Coulter, who famously competed on the second series of Australian Idol back in 2004, is resuming her hosting duties with co-host Scott Tweedie.
“So excited for everyone to meet our amazing idols!!!” Ricki wrote on Instagram when the 2026 trailer dropped.
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