Morgan Evans joins the Idol panel
Country music artist Morgan Evans has been confirmed as a new judge on Australian Idol for 2027, replacing Kyle Sandilands on the Seven Network panel. Evans, who splits his time between Australia and Nashville, said he was "stoked to be joining Amy, Marcia and the Idol crew next year," and described the show as a platform for anyone with music in them. He previously performed Letting You Go on the 2026 grand finale of the series.
A Nashville-credentialled addition
Seven's Director of Content, Unscripted, Majella Hay, framed the appointment as the start of "a new era for Australian Idol," calling Evans "one of the few home-grown artists to crack Nashville" and highlighting more than one billion global streams. Evans first rose to prominence with his self-titled 2014 debut album and reached international acclaim with his 2018 record Things That We Drink To, which included the 3x platinum single Kiss Somebody and the 5x platinum fan favourite Day Drunk. His 2024 release Live at the Sydney Opera House followed two sold-out performances at the venue, and his 2026 sophomore album Steel Town drew on two years spent back in his industrial hometown of Newcastle, New South Wales.
Format, hosts and producer
The 2027 season will be hosted by Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie, with Evans joining the existing judges Marcia Hines and Amy Shark. The series is produced by Eureka Productions, a Fremantle company, for the Seven Network, and the 2026 season was won by 21-year-old Kesha Nevé from Jindabyne, who received A$100,000 in prize money along with a recording package, songwriting camp access and industry support.
A long-running franchise
Since its global debut in 2001, the Idol format has launched the careers of artists including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Matt Corby, Anthony Callea, Stan Walker, Casey Donovan and Courtney Act in Australia, and Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Adam Lambert internationally. Evans, who grew up in Newcastle and is a multi-award-winning singer, songwriter and performer, said he looked forward to sharing what he had learned "in my travels" with new contestants on the Idol stage.
What remains uncertain
Seven has not yet announced a premiere date for the 2027 season of Australian Idol, and it is unclear whether Evans will be the sole new addition to the judging panel or whether further changes will be confirmed before production begins.
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