Country Star Morgan Evans Joins ‘Australian Idol’ as New Judge

 |  2 min read

Morgan Evans and Laci Kaye Booth at the 2025 CMA Awards

Australian country star Morgan Evans announced earlier this week that he’s joining the judging panel on Australian Idol in 2027. Evans is replacing former judge Kyle Sandilands.

Morgan Evans Joins Australian Idol as New Judge

Earlier this week, Morgan Evans posted a photo of himself sitting at the Australian Idol judges’ table on Instagram, writing in the caption, “New gig! Idol’s gone country! See you in 2027 Australia.”

According to Rolling Stone Australia, Evans will sit alongside returning judges Marcia Hines and Amy Shark. Ricki-Lee Coulter (a former contestant on the show) and Scott Tweedie will also return to host the show.

“I’m stoked to be joining Amy, Marcia and the Idol crew next year!” Evans said in a statement. “I reckon if you’ve got music in you, that’s something the world needs to hear, and I’ve enjoyed helping new artists find that since I was teaching guitar in Newcastle.”

Seven’s Director of Unscripted Content Majella Hay called Evans “the real deal,” adding, “He’s one of the few home-grown artists to crack Nashville, and with more than a billion global streams, he is an Aussie success story.”

SHOP TALENT RECAP MERCH:

Evans Was Previously Married to Kelsea Ballerini

Some fans might know Morgan Evans best as the ex-husband of fellow country star Kelsea Ballerini. The former couple tied the knot in 2017, and Ballerini filed for divorce in August 2022. The divorce was finalized in November of that same year.

Evans released his debut self-titled album in 2014. His most recent album, titled Steel Town, was released earlier this year. The project was inspired by Evans’ time in Newcastle, New South Wales, in Australia. Steel Town featured the lead single “Beer Back Home.”

SHOP TALENT RECAP MERCH:

What do you think about Morgan Evans joining Australian Idol as a judge next year? Are you a fan of his music? Let us know in the comments below.

Words by:

Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit

Share article

View more

Talent Recap newsletters

Sign up to Stay up to date with all the latest talent news!