Carrie Underwood called out by American Idol co-stars for bad habits during auditions

Former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood isn’t new to the show, but she is new to judging the show’s talent.

Her return for Season 23 marks a new chapter for the singer, who achieved massive success after winning Season 4.

She joins Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, who are no strangers to how things work at American Idol.

The duo is in their eighth season together, judging prospective singers through the various auditions and performances.

With that, they’ve had some serious criticism they wanted Carrie to take to heart as she goes through her rookie season as a judge.

The trio stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon where Luke and Lionel called out their co-star’s bad habits.

Lionel and Luke called out Carrie’s bad habits during auditions: ‘It’s not fair’

After discussing Carrie’s rise to fame after American Idol, Jimmy asked Lionel and Luke what it was like for them to have Carrie with them as a judge. She replaces Katy Perry, who left the show after six years as a judge.

On a positive note, Lionel called Carrie a “jukebox” due to her knowledge of music. However, that also revealed one of her bad habits during auditions.

“She knows every song the contestants are singing,” he revealed, adding, “It’s not fair that they start singing and she starts singing.”

Lionel says he must remind her that the contestants are competing. However, Carrie claims she’s the “contestants’ teleprompter” they can look to if they “flub” or forget the words.

Lionel said he would then “rat on her” and shared the “hardest moment for this beautiful lady,” referring to Carrie.

“She’s gotta say no,” said Lionel, mimicking her telling multiple auditioning contestants in a row, “Yes” that they could continue to the next phase.

“She said, ‘Well, she’s so cute. She’s so adorable.’ The answer is no!” Lionel said he told Carrie.

“It’s just I care a lot, and it’s people’s hopes and dreams. You’re in charge of their fate,” she shared, adding, “I’m trying to evaluate, is there more in there.”

“There was not any more in that one particular [contestant]. It was a firm, ‘No,'” Luke joked.

Carrie’s American Idol return includes emotional moments for the Season 4 winner

American Idol filmed the Showstoppers Showcase during Hollywood Week for Season 23 at Los Angeles’s Orpheum Theatre.

The show was filmed at the same venue four years ago but will be very different this time.

The venue is significant for Carrie since it’s where she performed for Hollywood Week during the season she won.

An inside source revealed to The U.S. Sun that it was among several choices producers made to evoke emotional responses from Carrie during her return to the show as a judge.

According to the insider, the venue had “a lot of sentimental value” for Carrie.

“It was the first time Carrie had been on a plane. The first time she performed in front of the audience. It really is what started it all,” the insider said.

Thanks to the producers’ clever decisions for Season 23, it will be one of several emotional moments viewers will see from Carrie.

American Idol Season 23 premieres Sunday, March 9, at 8/7c on ABC.