While the American Idol empire appears to be pretty damn impregnable, some folks think that Idol sans Simon Cowell is about as unsinkable as the Titanic. So will he stay or will he go? We finally know the answer, because Cowell announced onstage today at press tour that he is leaving American Idol.
Simon told the assembled press, "There's been a lot of speculation, partly because we didn't have an agreement. We reached an agreement formally about about half past 11 this morning. Where we have come to is that X-Factor will launch in America in 2011, with me judging the show and executive producing the show, and because of that, this will be my last season on American Idol this year."
Cowell then signed his X-Factor contract live onstage at press tour.
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