Vanessa Hudgens joins judging panel of So You Think You Can Dance

Vanessa Hudgens has graduated to a prime spot on TV show So You Think You Can Dance.

The High School Musical actress will join judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy on the panel for the upcoming 14th season of the show and make her debut at the Los Angeles auditions round, which will air from 12 June (17).

"I am so excited for Vanessa to join Mary and me on the judging panel for the 14th season of So You Think You Can Dance," co-creator Nigel said in a statement. "There was instant chemistry in the audition rounds, and I know the SYTYCD fans will love her as much as we do. Vanessa is an accomplished artist and brings her own brand of enthusiasm and energy to our panel."

Vanessa, who previously showed off her dancing skills as Rizzo in Grease: Live last year, retweeted news articles about her new role and tweeted: "So excited!!!"

This will be the 28-year-old's first permanent judging role following her guest appearance in a 2016 episode of fashion reality show Project Runway.

Season 14, which will be hosted by longtime presenter Cat Deeley, marks a return to the old format, where dancers are aged 18 to 30, and the return of Mary, who left after season 11, before the two seasons focussed on Next Generation dancers aged between eight and 13. Those seasons were judged by Nigel, Paula Abdul, Jason Derulo, and Sia's regular collaborator Maddie Ziegler.

Vanessa's casting news comes shortly after her new TV series Powerless, in which she had the lead role, was canceled before its first season had finished, with the final three episodes never making it to air. She also co-hosted the Billboard Music Awards with Ludacris earlier this month (May17).