LIONEL CRUSHING ON CO-STAR CARRIE

New Idol judge under his skin

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SONGBIRD Carrie Underwood will have plenty of nerves as she takes Katy Perry’s hot seat on American Idol, but sources say she can expect support from a superfan — fellow judge Lionel Richie, who’s crushing hard on the married country cutie.

“He thinks Carrie is the best thing that’s happened to Idol in a long time, and he can’t wait to work with her,” dishes a source.