Another longtime member of the American Idol team has departed the show. After 10 seasons of serving as executive producer, Nigel Lythgoe has been fired to make way for new leadership that will breathe life into sagging ratings. Lythgoe announced his firing on Saturday.
"Just had 10 days in the Bahamas, rain everyday. I get back to the States and get fired. Sad!" he wrote.
"It's not a personal thing they just feel IDOL needs new leadership after 12 Seasons,” continued Lythgoe.
Lythgoe said he will continue working on So You Think You Can Dance.
The 63-year-old later released a statement saying the success of American Idol is what matters. “If the executives that are now in charge of American Idol believe that the ratings will improve with my departure, I have no complaints. ... It has been a great ride and I've loved every moment of it,” he said.
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is to maintain this incredible platform for America's young talent,” Lythgoe added. “This will only happen with the success of the program."
Fox also released a statement confirming the exit of Lythgoe and producer Ken Warwick. "The passion and dedication that Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick brought to American Idol guided the show to become a true cultural phenomenon," the network said. "While we are saddened they will no longer be executive producers on the show, we are grateful for their tremendous contributions and look forward to continuing to work with them on additional projects."
Idol lost Randy Jackson, its last remaining original judge, last month along with season 12 judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj. The fate of Keith Urban remains unclear.
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