Washington
(ANI):
Ellen
DeGeneres
is
set
to
leave
the
hit
TV
talent
show
'American
Idol".
"A
couple
months
ago,
I
let
FOX
and
the
American
Idol
producers
know
that
this
didn't
feel
like
the
right
fit
for
me," UsMagazine.com
quoted
DeGeneres
as
saying
in
the
statement
to
Fox
News.
DeGeneres
added,
"I
told
them
I
wouldn't
leave
them
in
a
bind
and
that
I
would
hold
off
on
doing
anything
until
they
were
able
to
figure
out
where
they
wanted
to
take
the
panel
next." DeGeneres,
52,
replaced
Paula
Abdul
as
judge
for
the
show's
ninth
season,
sitting
at
the
table
with
Simon
Cowell,
Randy
Jackson,
and
Kara
DioGuardi.
"It
was
a
difficult
decision
to
make,
but
my
work
schedule
became
more
than
I
bargained
for,"
the
star
said.
"I
also
realized
this
season
that
while
I
love
discovering,
supporting
and
nurturing
young
talent,
it
was
hard
for
me
to
judge
people
and
sometimes
hurt
their
feelings.
I
loved
the
experience
working
on
Idol
and
I
am
very
grateful
for
the
year
I
had.
I
am
a
huge
fan
of
the
show
and
will
continue
to
be."
“Idol
creator
and
executive
producer
Simon
Fuller
said
in
the
statement:
"I
loved
Ellen''s
passion
for
the
artists
and
her
nurturing
skills.
She
brought
honesty
and
optimism
to
our
judging
panel
and
I
will
miss
her
greatly,"
Fuller
added.