Mariah Carey to be American Idol judge

Mariah Carey is the latest pop diva to agree to serve as a judge on American Idol.

Fox president Kevin Reilly named her as a judge on Monday, two weeks after Steve Tyler and Jennifer Lopez announced they would not return to the show.

"I am so excited to be joining Idol," Carey said in a call to the Television Critics Association panel in Los Angeles, adding that the appointment " just happened really quickly."

Randy Jackson, the remaining judge on Idol, was said to have helped clinch the deal with Carey.  Carey had twins in 2010 and cut back on concert appearances, although a 14th studio album is expected later this year.

American Idol, soon to enter its 12th season, missed out on any Emmy nominations last week, but another talent competition, The Voice, did get a nod. American Idol has seen its ratings decline in recent years – the 21.5 million viewers it had in 2012 are half as many as it drew in 2003.

One judge’s chair is still open for the coming season, but Reilly did not say who might fill it.