Original 'American Idol' judges react to show's cancellation
American music entertainment cable channel AXS TV will begin televising the U.K.'s "X Factor" on Labor Day weekend. Credit: AP
Original "American Idol" judges Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, as well as ex-producer Nigel Lythgoe, all have reacted to the long-running TV singing competition's recently announced cancellation.
"One of greatest talent shows ever," Jackson, 58, gushed in a tweet. "Gave us all huge careers and birthed sooooo many stars of today. Many have tried to imitate it but there will never be anything like #idol Thanks fans & talent Yall made it possible. Lets b bout the future."
Cowell, 55, tweeted that, "Looking back at my time on American Idol we had a great time. We found great artists. Had fun. And to America. Thank you. It was a blast."
Abdul, 52, told the entertainment-news show "Extra," "I think at a certain point maybe everything comes to a close, it's maybe run its course, but it's a show that changed people's lives, changed my life, too. . . . Really legitimate superstars have came out of the show, and people's dreams have come true and they're living it."
Lythgoe, 65, added to "Extra" that the time was right to end the show, which Fox said will return for a final season in January. "Like every prizefighter, you've got to know when to retire so that no young kid comes up and knocks you out and takes the credit for it."
"American Idol" premiered in June 2002. The ratings juggernaut, which finishes its 14th season Wednesday night, will return for its 15th and final season in January, the Fox network announced Monday.
