Radio DJ and comedian Bobby Bones is joining the forthcoming season of American Idol at ABC as the reality competition’s in-house mentor. The announcement was made tonight during Dancing with the Stars.

Bones joined the Top 24 Idol hopefuls last season as they prepared to take the stage with their all-star celebrity duet partners. In his expanded role, the multimedia personality will offer his industry expertise throughout the competition, helping contenders reach the next level of their artistry and performances.

Bones is the youngest honoree to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. He is the host of the nationally syndicated radio show “The Bobby Bones Show” and recently garnered its third ACM Award for National On-Air Personality of the Year. He also earned a 2017 Country Music Association award for National Broadcast Personality of the Year. He is also a best-selling author, podcaster, and stand-up comedian.

American Idol will return to ABC for the 2018-2019 season, marking its second season on the network with all-star judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and host Ryan Seacrest. The show moved to ABC after being on Fox for 15 seasons.

The show is produced by Fremantle and Industrial Media’s 19 Entertainment. Executive producers include Fremantle’s Trish Kinane, also serving as showrunner; Megan Wolflick; and Chris Anokute, representing Industrial Media. Fremantle distributes the series worldwide.