Breaking News: American Idol’ Ratings Shocker: How Show’s Viewership Has Plunged to Record Low — And Why Carrie Underwood Could be to Blame…..See More

American Idol has watched their ratings take a massive hit in just a week and some are wondering if new judge Carrie Underwood is to blame for the disaster.

The once popular singing competition saw a 10% dip with just a tad over four million viewers tuning into the March 23rd episode, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The ABC series’ downfall is now said to have TV insiders wondering if Underwood – who was the Season 4 winner – is the reason the show is crashing and burning.

One source said: “Carrie’s involvement was meant to spark excitement, but it may be backfiring. There’s a growing feeling she’s overexposed — or maybe just not connecting with younger viewers.”

However, according to Hollywood insider Rob Shuter, others are putting the blame on the singer’s appearance at Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, where Underwood attempted to sing America the Beautiful in a performance filled with audio mishaps.

Some fans didn’t love that she sang for President Trump. It’s alienated part of the audience,” one source claimed.

Meanwhile, one former Idol producer claimed the show is simply not clicking with audiences the way it once did when it was a ratings juggernaut.

They said: “The format feels tired. The show hasn’t reinvented itself in years. Even diehard fans are drifting away.”

The program’s failure is said to have bosses behind-the-scenes scrambling to find a quick solution.

“Everyone’s nervous,” a source said. “Idol is a legacy brand – and watching it tumble like this is unsettling. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, major changes are coming.”

Underwood replaced Katy Perry as a judge before Season 23 made its debut.