Harry Connick Jr joining 'American Idol' judges panel

Harry Connick Jr. will be the third judge for the next season of "American Idol," alongside Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez, The Hollywood Reporter says. The entertainment news website reported Friday a source it described as close to the show said Connick was signing a deal with the Fox network for the singing competition's 13th season. The Reporter had previously said Dr. Luke had dropped out of negotiations for the judges' panel because of a conflict with his label at Sony Music. There also had been speculation Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber's manager, might be in the running for a judge's seat, but the Reporter said he apparently passed on the chance. The Reporter said Connick, Urban and Lopez, along with Randy Jackson, who moves from judge to mentor for Season 13, were at a Thursday night party at a Los Angeles nightclub to celebrate the impending announcement that Connick would join the cast. Fox officials had no comment on the report, while the show's host, Ryan Seacrest, tweeted Friday, "Got some @AmericanIdol news for you coming very soon..."