And then there was one. Jennifer Lopez is the second American Idol judge to announce her departure from the judges’ table in the last 24 hours. (Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler bid adieu yesterday.)
(MORE: Read James Poniewozik’s take on Tyler’s departure.)
The performer announced her exit on Friday morning on On Air with Ryan Seacrest.
“I’m telling the absolute truth in that I really have been torn” she told Seacrest. “It all kind of worked together for a while, but it just gets more complicated … And something has to give and that’s, I think, where I am right now.”
Lopez’s departure is not surprising, especially after her remarks on Today on Thursday: “I’ve enjoyed it so much, but I am thinking it’s maybe time for me to go and do other things I really love to do like films … and performing,” she said. “I know everybody wants that definite ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ and … all I can let you in on is my own thought process with it, because that’s where I truly am.”
Fox’s singing competition has been TV’s most popular program for nearly a decade, but its ratings slumped severely last season. Producers were rumored to want to shake things up. Now’s their chance: Us magazine has reported that remaining judge Randy Jackson is also considering a move out from behind the judges’ table, to a more behind-the-scenes role on the show. Mariah Carey is rumored to be considering taking one of the vacant seats, though it hasn’t been confirmed. But one thing is for sure. The show is already auditioning hopefuls for Season 12, so we know there will be someone waiting to pass judgment on potential Idols—the question now is Who?