Katy Perry signs on to judge Idol for a cool $25 million

Oh, to be an Idol (and idle) judge and just sit there, give feedback, deliver the occasional bitchy comment, and be paid squillions for it… Katy Perry is the latest pop star to be given the easy opportunity to judge on the next season of American Idol, signing on for a staggering $25 million.

US network, ABC, were reportedly desperate to sign on a big name just before the Upfronts last week, and Perry scored the lead gig.

According to TMZ, as one source put it, “Katy had all the leverage. If ABC ended up announcing the show without a judge, they’d be screwed.”

It seems these TV talent shows are now relying more on their judges as drawcards rather than the actual talent onstage. But then, when hasn’t it been about Jennifer/Kelly/Delta/Seal/etcetera rather than about the humble sods striving to make it big?

The figure Katy is being paid beats even host Ryan Seacrest’s highest pay for the show so far. Sources associated with the first run of Idol revealed Ryan was making $15 million a season at his high point. Pocket change in comparison to Katy’s huge windfall. Watch this space for the real catfights to start…  Antonino Tati