In the midst of flying rumors who will be the new judge of “American Idol“, a piece of confirmation surfaces as Ellen DeGeneres announces her departure. After only one season, the comedienne finds out that the talent show “didn’t feel like the right fit for” her.

“A couple months ago, I let FOX and the ‘American Idol’ producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” she says in a statement. “I told them I wouldn’t leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for.”

Ellen admits to not having the heart like Simon Cowell’s. “I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings,” she continues. “I loved the experience working on Idol and I am very grateful for the year I had, I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be.”

Later on, executive producer Simon Fuller also releases a statement, saying “I loved Ellen’s passion for the artists and her nurturing skills. She brought honesty and optimism to our judging panel and I will miss her greatly.” Peter Rice, the FOX entertainment chairman, adds that it was Ellen’s decision to bow out.

The question remains whether Nigel Lythgoe who returns as the showrunner would actually implement his plan to scrap all the current line-up. If DeGeneres who has multi-year deal with FOX can exit, then it would be simpler with Kara DioGuardi and Randy Jackson who have one-year-at-a-time deal and one year left respectively.

Meanwhile, names keep piling up on who would be the new judge. Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler were the latest in the list, as Gossip Cop searches for inside tip. All in all, FOX is expected to make the official announcement on Monday, August 2 during Television Critics Association tour.

Download American Idol Episodes

It is not mere rumor when the reports spread that Jessica Simpson is being considered to be Simon Cowell’s replacement on “American Idol“. The pop singer was indeed in talks with the show’s producers, as confirmed by her representative to Gossip Cop.

Moreover, Simpsons “likes them and they like her” in the meeting but they are “not at the negotiating stage yet.” A source said that Simpsons is only one out of “dozens” of candidates who are being considered as the new judge. As widely reported in the past few dates, there have been other names like Justin Timberlake, Elton John and Chris Isaak, but the first two’s casting reportedly has been denied.

Regarding how Simpsons is thrown in the competition, a source told TMZ, “I’m not sure whether her people approached Idol, or if it was the other way around.”

With the audition running and a January 2011 premiere, the executives are under a deadline to announce the final selection. “The network’s dream scenario would be to make a splashy announcement at TCA [Television Critics Association] on Monday [August 2] morning,” said the source. “They’d be the talk of TCA, and the message to other networks would essentially be, ‘Follow that!’.”

The list of potential new judge for “American Idol” is getting longer. Two more huge names, Justin Timberlake and Elton John, are tossed in as the candidates in consideration to take over Simon Cowell’s old post. According to THR, these two are in producer Simon Fuller’s wish list.

Timberlake and John thus are in competition with previously mentioned names such as Harry Connick Jr., Donald Trump and Chris Isaak. Rocker Bret Michaels who personally confirmed that he was in talks with the executives reportedly has been excluded from the race.

Meanwhile, a bigger issue about the judges is making the headlines. Nigel Lythgoe is returning as executive producer and rumor has it, he wants to scrap the current line-up of “Idol” judges. For one, he was the showrunner in the first six seasons before he quit and the ratings continues declining. For another, he is the one who is against the idea of having four judges because it distracts the viewers from the contestants.

Lythgoe previously told reporters that his ideal line-up would be Elton John, Usher and Paula Abdul. Out of these three, John has been the one who is constantly pursued by Fuller, but financial agreement becomes an obstacle.

“AMERICAN IDOL” SEASON 10 AUDITIONS BEGIN WITH AN ASTOUNDING 26,000 HOPEFULS IN NASHVILLE AND MILWAUKEE

Auditions Continue Monday, July 26 in New Orleans

AMERICAN IDOL, the No. 1 show on television, kicked off the auditions for its milestone 10th season with a bang as over 26,000 hopefuls came out for their shot at the coveted IDOL crown!

The first stop on the IDOL audition tour was Nashville on July 17, where an incredible 16,000 people swarmed Broadway, home of the world-famous Music City Honky Tonks. Days later, in Milwaukee, more than 10,000 showed up at the Bradley Center on July 21. Next stop will be the Crescent City, as the search for the next singing superstar heads to New Orleans on Monday, July 26.

“The numbers of people turning up to the AMERICAN IDOL auditions in Nashville and Milwaukee have been incredible,” said Simon Fuller, creator of AMERICAN IDOL. “These attendance figures are significantly up on the last few years, and there is clearly renewed excitement and interest in the show, which is great to see.”

The remaining AMERICAN IDOL auditions will be held as follows:

Cities Dates Venues

New Orleans, LA Monday, July 26 New Orleans Arena
1501 Girod St.
New Orleans, LA 70113

East Rutherford, NJ Tuesday, Aug. 3 IZOD Center
50 Route 120
East Rutherford, NJ 07073

Austin, TX Wednesday, Aug. 11 Frank Erwin Center
1701 Red River St.
Austin, TX 78701

San Francisco, CA Thursday, Aug. 19 AT&T Park
24 Willie Mays Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94107

Audition information, including forms and requirements, will be available online at americanidol.com. Visit americanidol.com for exclusive videos, interviews and photos from auditions, as well as special behind-the-scenes information and all of your AMERICAN IDOL news. For all photo requests, please go to foxflash.com.

AMERICAN IDOL is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller, founder of 19 Entertainment; and executive-produced by Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia North America; and Ken Warwick, executive producer, FremantleMedia North America.

Three names have been tossed in as the potential replacement of Simon Cowell on “American Idol“. One of them which is Harry Connick Jr. has been heard before because he was praised for his brief stint as guest mentor in season 9, but Chris Isaak and Donald Trump only enter the consideration list now.

In its report, THR said Isaak has had two meetings with FOX so far but no deal has been reached or announced. Meanwhile, Connick Jr. has been a favorite among viewers mainly because he blended well while serving as a mentor. In an even odder casting, Donald Trump is said lobbying to replace Cowell although he is producing for NBC’s “The Apprentice“.

FOX reportedly has met the candidates and a “tug-of-war” even ensued because the network is also looking for judges for the U.S. version of “The X Factor“. Meanwhile, Bret Michaels is out of the equation, at least for the “Idol” post. The rocker previously confirmed that he was in talks with the producers.

Announcement is expected to be made soon since “American Idol” has started auditioning in cities around the U.S. and will continue doing so up to August 19. The new judge would join the audition roadshow in early September, Peter Rice, the network’s new entertainment chairman said.

Get full episodes of American Idol for free of cost

Harry Connick Jr. has been tipped as the favorite to take over Simon Cowell’s role as a judge on “American Idol” by the star himself – the music mogul insists the crooner is “a great mentor”.

Connick, Jr. joined Brett Michaels and former reality show contestant Adam Lambert as a top contender for the job after he mentored the finalists for an episode on the latest season of the show, before Cowell quit in May.

But Cowell admits Connick, Jr. has the edge over his competitors. He tells America’s OK! magazine, “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Harry Connick, Jr. He was a great mentor when he was on, and he knows music.”

Late last month, Michaels hinted that he was the frontrunner. He said, “We have a meeting in L.A. in a couple weeks and we’re going to sit down and talk. They did a poll and I think it was Madonna, P. Diddy, Howard Stern, and myself, and I took 50 percent or 60 percent of the vote and that’s tremendous. I would love to be a judge on American Idol. I think I would bring a lot to the table.”

Former “American idol” star Clay Aiken has added his name to the list of possible replacements for departed judge Simon Cowell. Elton John, Harry Connick Jr. and another former Idol, Adam Lambert, have emerged as the fan favorites to take over from Cowell, but Aiken thinks he’s the man for the job.

He tells Billboard, “I’ve always thought it would be a great addition to the panel to have someone who’s a former contestant and knows what it’s like to be up on that stage and be critiqued. I would not put myself out there to be as caustic as he (Cowell) is, but if they (producers) want to call me, bring it on. We can talk.”

When talking about his fifth album, Clay Aiken tells the site, “I like songs that have incredible melodies and nice orchestrations and arrangements that are really about the voice and the melody and just being beautiful, and these songs are that. People talk about it being a big decision to change course, but I actually see it as an opportunity to kind of get back to what I’ve always wanted to do.”