American Idol Shocker: Simon Cowell to Quit Idol

American Idol judge Simon Cowell once threatened to quit Idol if wild haired Sanjaya Malakar wound up as the winner.  But now it's for real as music mogul Simon Cowell has stunned American Idol fans by revealing he's quitting the show in three years time.  The show's 'Mr. Nasty' judge tells 'Extra ten years is enough' and he's finished soon.

American Idol Shocker: Simon Cowell to Quit Idol

Simon told his gal and Extra reporter Terri Seymour that the clock on “Idol” is ticking for him, and that in a few years – he’ll be gone! “There comes a point where you’ve got to move on,” Simon explained. “You’ve got to say when your time’s up.”

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The report: Say it isn’t so! What is America going to do without Mr. Mean? “This is the year I decided that on ‘American Idol,’ once I’ve done 10 series, your time’s up. It’s time to do something new,” he told us.

Wait…that leaves three more seasons left with Simon. Then what? “I think it’s time to bring in new people, because I think you know, 10 years is a long time,” he said. “And we’ve just got to make the next three great.”

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So what happens after Simon bids adieu to “Idol?” He told Extra, “I think I’d rather drop dead than retire.”