Major shake-ups are taking place on ‘American Idol.’ After announcing his return as Executive Producer to the show, Nigel Lythgoe stated he intended on creating major shake-ups with the judges. And he’s delivered.
It seems Ellen DeGeneres has bowed out as judge after only one season and will be replaced by Jennifer Lopez. Lopez, whose music and acting career has hit the skids, is rumored to have been in negotiations to join Idol for over a month. Her former manager, Benny Medina, got the ball rolling for Lopez shortly before she fired him.
Rumors are also flying that Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler has been approached about replacing Simon Cowell who left the show this season.
As for why DeGeneres left, sources say it had to do with Fox’s lack of control over Cowell.
Via Deadline:
“We’re told she wanted off the show two months ago and complained that Idol producers ‘couldn’t control Cowell’, one insider tells us. Least of all Cecile Frot-Coutaz, the CEO of FremantleMedia North America. ‘Cecile is doing X Factor with Simon, so she’s in his back pocket.’ DeGeneres and her reps went in to to see Fox Broadcasting’s Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice and Alternative TV President Mike Darnell and asked to be let out of the year left on her contract. ‘She’s not comfortable. She’s not happy. It’s not been fun.’”
Not to be left out, it appears that Kara DioGuardi may be fired by Lythgoe in an effort to bring the judging panel back down to three.
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Images Via: wenn.com
If Lopez is the rating