in May, he announced Monday.
Cowell, one of the three original Idol judges, will launch an American
version of the British show The X-Factor, which will air on Fox
beginning in the fall of 2011, he announced at the Television Critics
Association winter tour in Pasadena, Calif.
Simon Cowell will leave American Idol, his brother says
"Where we have come to and what we've agreed is that X-Factor will
launch in America in 2011, with me judging the show and executive
producing the show," said Cowell. "Because of that, this will be my
last season of American Idol this year. Thank you for your patience,
but that is what's happening."
To underscore the news, Fox entertainment Chairman Peter Rice had
Cowell sign his new agreement with the network onstage before a room
filled with reporters.
Simon Cowell to bring X Factor to the U.S.?
"I said this was my last season on American Idol. Everyone thought I
was negotiating," Cowell said. "I was offered a lot of money to stay
on, but that wasn't the reason behind it."
Rice said that the network plans to air X-Factor in the fall, American
Idol in the spring and So You Think You Can Dance over the summer. "I
wouldn't have put X-Factor on if I didn't think it could exist
separately," Cowell said. Though Idol and X-Factor are both singing
competitions, X-Factor has no age limit and conducts live auditions.
The judges also mentor the contestants.
Fox announces Idol schedule
Cowell follows original judge Paula Abdul, who departed this summer
after eight seasons with the show. Abdul's new replacement, Ellen
DeGeneres, recently told Entertainment Weekly she would leave if
Cowell departed Idol but changed her tune upon the announcement.
"He announced he's leaving on my first day. I'm trying not to take it
personally. But seriously, I am going to be very, very sad to see him
go, because I think he's made the show what it is ... I wish him all
the luck in the world hosting The Tonight Show," DeGeneres joked on
her show, which airs Tuesday.
"I'm confident that [Idol] will continue to be the No. 1 show and
everyone is committed to keeping it that way," Cowell said.
Season 9 of American Idol debuts Jan. 12 at 8/7c on Fox.