Work doesn't stop for Luke Bryan, even amid a COVID-19 diagnosis.
The 44-year-old country singer's fellow American Idol judges, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie (along with guest judge Paula Abdul, who filled in for Bryan), gave an update on his health after Monday's live show.
"He's totally good," Perry, 36, told Entertainment Tonight of her colleague's symptoms. "I think he's gonna be all right. I think we'll be seeing him next week."
In fact, "He was texting us. He was blowing up our phones during the whole episode. Some of it we can't even say," she joked.
"We can't say half of it!" agreed Richie, 71.
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According to Perry, Bryan "agreed with everything" she and Richie judged alongside Abdul, 58, during the live episode.
"He was just giving critiques at home. I guess, alone in his room," the "Dark Horse" singer explained.
And for Abdul — who was an original judge on Idol for the singing-competition series' first eight seasons — stepping into Bryan's shoes gave her a "nostalgic" feeling.
"I didn't have time to think about it because it was literally, I got the call on Friday night and I was worried because I was getting my second vaccine and I thought, 'Oh my God, what if I have a reaction?' " she told ET. "I was able to move my appointment to Saturday night, so yesterday I was feeling kind of crappy, but today I woke up fine. And it was fun!"
"I love being on this panel tonight. It's way different than the panel that I was on, that's for sure," she said, joking that she "didn't have to go to therapy" to work with Richie and Perry.
On Monday morning, Bryan announced on Instagram and Twitter that he'd tested positive for COVID-19 and would be missing the live taping of the ABC competition show, but assured fans that he was feeling okay.
"I'm sad to say I won't be a part of tonight's first live @AmericanIdol show," he wrote. "I tested positive for COVID but I'm doing well and look forward to being back at it soon."
The show then announced Abdul as his temporary replacement on Instagram, writing, "We're so excited to announce Paula Abdul will be stepping in as a guest judge to join Lionel Richie and Katy Perry as we get closer to crowning a new winner!"
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