Tuesday, 12 January 2010

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Simon Cowell confirms American Idol departure

Music mogul taking X Factor to US

Simon Cowell will be a judge on the US version of The X Factor

Simon Cowell has announced he's leaving American Idol.

And the music mogul now plans to launch The X Factor in the States next year.

The programme will air on Fox, which will continue to broadcast American Idol. 

‘I was offered a lot of money to stay on,' Simon, 50, said at a Television Critics Association event in LA yesterday. 'But that wasn't the reason behind it.

'I wanted to do something different. I wanted a new challenge.

‘You want to leave on a high. I'm very proud of what the show has achieved.'

Simon's replacement on Idol has not yet been revealed.

‘We have to take our time on that,' says Fox chairman Peter Price.

‘We have to make sure the chemistry of the judges is as good as it can be.'

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