It's Official: Simon Cowell Leaving 'American Idol'

Simon Cowell photo credit INFDaily.com.

Fox and Cowell not available for comment.

Many fans think Simon Cowell is American Idol. He and executive producer Simon Fuller have made the nine-season show what it is today, but Cowell's brother leaked some info earlier this week that Simon may be walking away from his baby. Word's out: it's confirmed.

Simon Cowell is on holiday in the Caribbean and couldn't be reached for comment, and a spokesperson at Fox declined to confirm as well. However on his Podcast The Cowell Factor, Simon's brother Tony Cowell said the following: "A press statement is being prepared which will confirm what everybody expected: Simon will leave Idol at the end of 2010 to concentrate on bringing the American version of X Factor to U.S. TV in 2011."

X Factor is the blockbuster British show that's seen stars like Leona Lewis rise to international fame. While it's not clear exactly why Cowell sees the X Factor format being hotter than American Idol, it's been said he's been trying to bring the show to the States for a couple years.

Reports suggest that Fox is punching up some numbers to try to convince Cowell to stay with Idol, but reports in summer 2009 suggested they'd try to pay him a steaming $144 million to stick with them. Stay with LimeLife for X Factor details and Cowell's comments on stepping away from ever-changing American Idol.

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