# Morgan Evans takes the empty chair on the Idol panel

> The Newcastle country star joins Marcia Hines and Amy Shark when Australian Idol returns in 2027.

Litty News · Australian Idol · 6 Nov 2026

Source: https://www.litty.com.au/news/morgan-evans-australian-idol-judge

Australian Idol has its new judge. Morgan Evans is taking Kyle Sandilands' seat when the show comes back to Channel 7 and 7plus in 2027.

He'll sit beside Marcia Hines and Amy Shark, with Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie back hosting.

## Don't expect a villain

Morgan's already told Sunrise he isn't coming in as the hard marker.

"I'm not going to be the mean guy. I have no interest in doing that for the sake of it," he said.

"But at the same time, I think if I can say something that saves someone five years of working something out, I feel like that is the kindest thing I can do."

Honest without the bite. We can work with that.

## Newcastle born, Nashville tested

A billion streams. Kiss Somebody went platinum. Two sold-out nights at the Sydney Opera House off the back of Over For You. His second album, Steel Town, landed this year, and he's already played the Idol stage once, singing Letting You Go at the 2026 grand final.

## What he's listening for

"There's so many great singers, so many great songwriters in the world, but there's only one of you," he said.

That's the bar. Pick the song that's yours, not the one that wins on paper.

## Our take

Marcia's the heart, Amy's the songwriter, and Morgan's the one who cracked it overseas the hard way. With no one playing the hard marker any more, the drama's on the auditions now.

Who's walking out with a golden ticket?

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