Connick Jr., Lopez confirmed as 'American Idol' judges

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Fox officially confirmed Harry Connick Jr. and Jennifer Lopez will serve on the judges panel of "American Idol" in Los Angeles next season.

"'American Idol' has always been about discovering the next singing superstar, and next season our judging panel will deliver a most impressive combination of talent, wisdom and personality to do just that: Jennifer Lopez, the triple-threat global superstar who loves ['Idol'] and whom 'Idol' fans love; Harry Connick Jr., a bona-fide musical genius and fantastic 'Idol' mentor whose honesty and expertise can help turn these hopefuls into stars; Keith Urban, a multi-Grammy-winning artist who was such a positive force on the show last season," Kevin Reilly, the network's chairman of entertainment, said in a statement Tuesday.

"We are also very excited to have our friend [and former 'Idol' judge Randy Jackson now in a new role as mentor, and the captain of our team -- the heart and soul of 'Idol' -- Ryan Seacrest returning as host."

Last season's panel featured Urban, Jackson, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj.

Lopez previously served as a judge on the series in 2011 and 2012. She returned as a guest performer last season.