Original Blog Entry: Simon Cowell leaving American Idol

NBey6 — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:05:36 GMT

Scoop: Simon Cowell will leave American Idol

This season will be judge s last as he brings X Factor to the United States

By Courtney Hazlett

The Scoopmsnbc.comupdated 3:59 p.m. ET, Mon., Jan. 11, 2010

This season will indeed be Simon Cowell s last season of American Idol.

Cowell dropped the bombshell Monday at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif., while announcing his show X Factor will launch in the United States in 2011.

We reached an agreement formally at half past 10 this morning, X Factor will launch in America in 2011. Because of that this will be my last season on American Idol this year, Cowell reportedly said.

American Idol will soldier on without Cowell, according to Fox executive Peter Rice. Cowell s role on X Factor will be that of producer and judge his fellow judges will be announced fairly soon, he said.

X-Factor is a British show not unlike America s Got Talent. Cowell's not just a judge on X Factor, he has a financial stake in its success. X Factor is produced by his production company, Syco.

Sources say that Cowell s contract with American Idol prevented him from launching any sort of competing show.

The Associated Press reported that while Cowell makes a reported $36 million a year to be on American Idol, he owns The X Factor and could make much more if the show takes off.

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