All American Idol Season 5 Alums Returning For 20th Anniversary Episode (SPOILERS)

WARNING! THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS ABOUT AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 24!On May 4, 2026, American Idol season 24 will celebrate the 20th anniversary of 2006’s season 5, and five beloved alums will return to sing duets with the current Top 5 finalists. American Idol season 5 gave rise to some of the most successful and popular contestants in the show’s history, including winner Taylor Hicks, runner-up Katharine McPhee, Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry, Paris Bennett, Kellie Pickler, Ace Young, Bucky Covington, Lisa Tucker, and the late Mandisa, who were in the Top 10.

During American Idol season 24 Taylor Swift/California Night, the Top 5 finalists were determined. They include Braden Rumfelt, Chris Tungseth, Hannah Harper, Jordan McCullough, and Keyla Richardson. Brooks and Daniel Stallworth were eliminated at the end of the episode. Now, the Top 5 will have the opportunity to sing duets with American Idol season 5 alums. On the American Idol Official Podcast, host Danielle Fishel announced that the returnees are Taylor, Elliott, Paris, Kellie, and Bucky.

American Idol Season 24 Will Welcome Back Original Judges

Taylor won American Idol season 5 in 2006, while Elliott placed third behind runner-up Katharine. Fourth place went to Chris, while Paris placed fifth and Kellie placed sixth. Ace placed seventh, while Bucky placed eighth. Returning alums Taylor, Elliott, Paris, Kellie, and Bucky have all had successful careers after the show, releasing music, and appearing in various projects on the stage and screen.

In addition to welcoming back Taylor, Elliott, Paris, Kellie, and Bucky to the American Idol stage, the 20th anniversary episode will also feature the returns of original judges Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul, who’ll serve as mentors for the Top 5 finalists. Also, Paula will be a guest judge during the live show, alongside current judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan. It’ll be a dream-come-true to have her back at the American Idol judges’ table, offering her one-of-a-kind critiques to the season 24 Top 5 finalists.

Randy and Paula were the original American Idol judges, along with Simon Cowell. Paula stayed with the show until season 8, while Randy judged until season 12. In season 13, he became the in-house mentor, replacing Jimmy Iovine. Randy left the show for good after season 13. Other American Idol judges through the years include Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban, Harry Connick Jr., Ellen DeGeneres, Kara DioGuardi, and Katy Perry.

American Idol Season 24’s Top 5 Will Also Experience A Dancing With The Stars Crossover

Not only will American Idol season 24 Top 5 finalists Braden, Chris, Hannah, Jordan, and Keyla have the opportunity to participate in the American Idol season 5 20th anniversary celebration, but they’ll also be featured in the first-ever American Idol crossover with Dancing With The Stars. Pro dancers from the show, including Jan Ravnik, Rylee Arnold, Gleb Savchenko, and Witney Carson will be dancing alongside the Top 5 finalists in a first-of-its-kind mashup of the two shows.

It’ll also be interesting to see if Kellie Pickler takes part in the Dancing With The Stars crossover because she won season 16 with her professional dance partner, Derek Hough. Other American Idol alums who competed on Dancing With The Stars over the years include season 10 runner-up Lauren Alaina, who placed 4th with Gleb Savchenko, and season 6 winner Jordin Sparks, who placed 9th with Brandon Armstrong.

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It’ll be very exciting and intriguing to see ballroom dancing incorporated into the American Idol performances. In addition, it’s going to be thrilling and nostalgic to see Taylor, Elliott, Paris, Kellie, and Bucky back on the American Idol stage again. They were all fan favorites during their time on the show, and they’ll certainly help the current contestants to reach new heights. Braden, Chris, Hannah, Jordan, and Keyla will be competing for the Top 3 spots in the finale, as this is the last episode before the May 11 event. The penultimate episode of American Idol season 24 is going to be spectacular.

Sources: American Idol/Instagram, American Idol/YouTube

Release Date

2002 – 2016-00-00

Showrunner

Nigel Lythgoe

Franchise(s)

American Idol

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