Simon Cowell Opens Up About ‘Weird’ ‘American Idol’ Reunion On ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’

Simon Cowell opened up about his “weird” reunion with fellow former American Idol judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson on Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson’s new self-titled talk show. The star – who’s currently serving as a judge on America’s Got Talent – spoke out this week about what it was really like to have the group back together again 17 years after Clarkson won the first-ever season of the show in 2002.

“That was exciting, that was hilarious. It’s on next Wednesday,” Cowell told Extra during an interview backstage at AGT on September 11, confirming the big reunion that has everyone talking will air on September 18.

Unfortunately, Ryan Seacrest – who’s hosted every single season of the show, including the new episodes on ABC – was not in attendance, but did chat with his former co-workers via satellite from New York City.

And despite Cowell leaving American Idol at the end of Season 10 in 2011, one year after Abdul said bye-bye to her judging chair, the TV personality admitted that having the gang back together again actually felt like they were doing the show once again.

“It was almost like we were still doing the show,” he said. “So weird because you know what it’s like when we got together again.”

Cowell then went on to call the big reunion “surreal” before gushing over Clarkson and all the success she’s had since being crowned the first ever winner of the talent search back in 2002.

“You have to remember, it doesn’t feel like all those years ago that we did the finale, so suddenly I’m sitting on her talk show being interviewed by her,” he said. “She was brilliant, I have to say, really good. She was an absolute natural. She’s incredible.”

Cowell then called the “Since U Been Gone” singer, who’s now a coach on The Voice, “very loyal” and added that she “gets the whole thing about where we started from… I love her and I’m happy for her.”

The Inquisitr previously reported last month that Cowell and the rest of the original Idol gang would be back together again for a very special appearance on Clarkson’s NBC talk show, which debuted earlier this week.

According to Entertainment Weekly, American Idol Season 1 runner-up Justin Guarini will also be appearing on the September 18 episode of the new talk show. He and Kelly will discuss “the impact [the show] made on their lives.”

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The American Idol reunion will mark a rare occasion seeing the trio of original judges back on TV together. Cowell, Abdul, and Jackson previously reunited on the show back in 2016 when they all appeared on stage together – alongside Seacrest – during the series’ final episode on Fox. At the time, Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr., and Keith Urban served as judges.

It then returned with an all new look on ABC in 2018 with Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan as judges.