Did Katy Perry Hide Her Baby Bump While Filming 'American Idol'?

Unless you've been actively avoiding celebrity news, then by now, you've heard that "Firework" singer Katy Perry is expecting her first child with fiancé Orlando Bloom. She revealed her pregnancy at the end of her music video for her latest song, "Never Worn White," which dropped on March 5. While that news was shocking in and of itself, the star was also very visibly pregnant — meaning that she had been hiding her bump for quite some time. 

What's even more impressive about that is the fact that Katy hasn't been in hiding or avoiding the public — it's quite the opposite, really. The singer has been a judge on American Idol, which has been airing every week since the third season of the reprisal began in February of 2020. 

But, the show hasn't yet begun airing live episodes yet, leading many to wonder if Katy was pregnant when she filmed the reality competition. Is Katy Perry pregnant during American Idol? Read on to find out when the show filmed, and what her estimated due date is.

The singing competition returned for its third season (which is technically Season 18) with judges Katy, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan on February 16, 2020. While Katy herself was pregnant when the season premiered, the audition episodes were filmed far in advance.

When Katy announced her pregnancy, she also said that she was due in the summer of 2020. It was revealed that she and Orlando had been planning to tie the knot in Japan in the summer, and that Katy had been excited to be pregnant during the festivities. Of course, the pair had to cancel their nuptials because of the spread of the coronavirus. 

With a summer due date, Katy likely got pregnant in the fall of 2019. The American Idol auditions for Season 18 kicked off in Nashville in June of 2019.

The auditions concluded in Chicago in September of 2019, meaning that the singer likely was not pregnant when she filmed the beginning episodes of the show. Of course, if she's due in the early part of the summer, then she may have gotten pregnant toward the end of the audition process. 

But, the Hollywood episodes did film in December of 2019, which Katy was likely pregnant for. The Hollywood Week is the one of the last stages before live episodes film, and it was shot between December 2 and 5 of 2019 in Los Angeles. Katy was, more than likely, in the very early weeks of her pregnancy at this time. 

Viewers of the show also will see the Showcase Round during the episodes airing on March 29 and 30. This portion of the show filmed in Hawaii in late January of 2020. Katy was definitely with child at this point in the filming process.

While much of the season of American Idol filmed already, one of the most crucial parts of the show are its live episodes. The Top 20 performances always sing in front of a live audience, and these episodes were supposed to air live beginning in April. In the wake of the spread of the novel coronavirus, it seems very unlikely that the show will be able to stick to any sort of regular schedule. Many shows have suspended production, and others have been airing with stars filming remotely.

On March 19, the contestants' rehearsals were all canceled. The state of California is in shelter-in-place mode, so residents are barred from leaving their homes unless it is absolutely necessary.

There has been no official confirmation from anyone at American Idol as to when the season will be able to film the live shows again.

You can catch Katy (and her bump) on American Idol, airing on Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.