'American Idol' revival news: ABC president defends Katy Perry's $25 million salary

Singer Katy Perry at a concert commemorating the Special Olympics at the White House in Washington, July 31, 2014. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

Katy Perry continues to make the rounds on the internet. This time around, it is her hefty "American Idol" salary that is making headlines.

Perry, who has officially signed on to join ABC's revival of "American Idol," is one of the most popular and successful singers of all time. So, it is not that astounding that she would be one of the highest paid judges to appear on the singing competition show.

According to TMZ, Perry has landed a $25 million contract to appear on "American Idol." The 32-year-old singer and songwriter follows Simon Cowell's footsteps, who made around $45 million annually as head judge of the original show.

Now, ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey opened up about Perry's hefty salary. While she did not confirm nor deny the alleged $25 million contract, she said it is a worthy investment to bring talented individuals to the reboot.

"We hit the jackpot with Katy," Entertainment Weekly quoted Dungey, during the Television Critics Association summer press tour on Sunday, Aug. 6. "She is a songwriter, and to have someone like her on the panel is fantastic. This is a business. We need to make sure we make the right decision so the show can be financially viable, so it will have a place on ABC for years to come."

Perry was the first judge to be announced by ABC. Ryan Seacrest, who served as a host on FOX's "American Idol" from the second season until the 15th, will return as the host of the revival season.

In the meantime, "The One That Got Away" hitmaker will host the 34th MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum in Inglewood, California on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 8 p.m. EDT. The annual awards show, which honors the music videos from June 2016 to June 2017, will air live from the venue on MTV.

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