Mariah Carey Says Goodbye to 'American Idol'
by Shannon Keirnan
Mariah Carey will not be returning to “American Idol!”
The diva has announced, through her publicists at PMK BNC, that she will be leaving the show in favor of a world tour.
The news came via Twitter, when PMK BNC tweeted:
“W/ global success of “#Beautiful” (#1 in 30+ countries so far) @MariahCarey confirms world tour & says goodbye 2 Idol.”
Fox and “Idol” producers released this statement following the news:
“Mariah Carey is a true global icon - one of the most accomplished artists on the planet - and we feel extremely fortunate that she was able to bring her wisdom and experience to the 'American Idol' contestants this season. We know she will remain an inspiration to 'Idol' hopefuls for many seasons to come.”
The introduction of Carey prompted an immediate feud with fellow judge Nicki Minaj, which brought on a ratings spike. The novelty wore off quickly, however. Season 12 ratings ended up down over 20% from season 11.
Since judge Randy Jackson has also announced that he will not be returning for the 13th season of the show, Fox and “Idol” are on the hunt to bring in fresh blood.
Past contender Jennifer Hudson is reportedly in negotiations to step in. Meanwhile, host Ryan Seacrest has one more year on his contract, but will he return for season 14? Judges Keith Urban and Nicki Minaj are also reportedly eyeing the door…
Fox entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly has confirmed that the show will go back to its original number of judges, cutting back to 3.
Will you be sad to see Carey go? Which 3 celebs would you love to see on the panel?