Jennifer Lopez has officially declared that she will not be returning to “American Idol” next season, just a day after fellow judge Steven Tyler revealed he was quitting the show.
She told Ryan Seacrest on his synidcated radio show, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, her plate is too full and she is bowing out of her position as judge.
Lopez told Seacrest that she had originally signed on to do the hit talent show for just one year.
“And I wound up doing two years because I just so fell in love with the show, everybody there, you guys. You know that. I never felt so much part of a family of something, working on it, as I did with Idol …”
The singer added:
”Something has to give. I really was dreading this phone call, and you’re gonna make me cry.”
When Seacrest then pressed her by asking, “Does that mean we’re co-workers or not?” she replied,
“You know, I was really dreading this phone call with you. … I honestly feel that the time has come, that I really have to get back to doing the other things that I have to do that I kind of put on hold because I love Idol so much.”
Saying that she had had “an amazing run” on the show, Lopez seemed overwhelmed with emotion as she remarked, “It’s really going to be hard to go.”
But while there remains considerable speculation that Randy Jackson will also depart, he gave no hint in his interview with Lopez that he is also entertaining the thought of chucking it in.
