With news of American Idol's return making the rounds, speculation has already began about which celebrities will be sitting at the judge panel.

Among the current rumor mill, the most talked about theory is that former Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, will be taking one of the judges' seats. The rumor comes from reports from TMZ that not only claim the starlet was asked to fill a seat, but that she is also clearing her schedule to make the plans work. Should Kelly be brought aboard, she will be the first ever permanent alumni to ever join the panel. While past seasons have had guest appearances from alumni, such as Adam Lambert in season 14, the show has never before done something like this.

If Kelly is brought as a judge, Idol will also further showcase it's ability to produce singers with chart topping longevity, compared to The Voice, which has yet to produce a star on the same caliber as her or Carrie Underwood. In the past, Kelly has returned to Idol during the finale season as a guest judge, during which she received strong praise from the online Idol community and fans. Trent Harmon ended up winning that season, while La'Porsha Renae was declared the runner up.

Idol will be filming auditions for the reboot in Disney World and potentially Disneyland. The previous cast of celebrity judges, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick Jr. are rumored to not be returning, as they are to expensive to bring back. Previous host, Ryan Seacrest, is still heavily rumored and speculated to be returning.

Who do you want to see sitting in those Idol judges chairs? Are you a fan of Kelly potentially returning as a judge? Do you think this reboot will be a success? Let us know in the comments below! 

Tags: American Idol Kelly Clarkson Reality TV