Jennifer Lopez Confirms American Idol Exit
Jennifer Lopez confirmed her departure from American Idol on Ryan Seacrest's radio show Friday morning.
"I honestly feel the time has come that I have to get back to doing the other things that I do that I put on hold because I love Idol so much," Lopez said on On Air with Ryan Seacrest.
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On Thursday, Lopez strongly hinted at her possible exit during a Today show interview. When Seacrest asked Lopez about the rumors on Friday, the singer reluctantly admitted she was indeed leaving.
"You know, I have my movies and my music and my this and my that and it all kind of worked together for a while, but it gets more complicated," she explained. "It all started feeling like it was a lot and something had to give."
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After two years, Lopez said she had become attached to the series and has been hesitant about saying goodbye. "When I signed on to Idol, I signed on to do one year. I wound up doing two years because I just fell so in love with the show," she said. "It was just such a lovely surprise in my life to do it. But even last year, when I had to make the decision, it was super tough to decide."
Jennifer Lopez on Idol: "It's maybe time for me to go"
But Lopez told Seacrest that though she might not be a regular at the judges' table, she still hopes to be involved in any way she can. "No matter what you guys need over there, I'm always gonna be here," Lopez said of her desire to be a mentor or make appearances on the series.
Lopez, who constantly choked back tears during the interview, explained that contrary to rumors, her departure from Idol was not sparked by money issues. "It's one of those special things in your life that you just don't wanna walk away from. And that's why people are like, 'Oh, you're going back and forth.' But it's not that... It wasn't ever playing any games or doing anything, wanting more and more money. It was just being smart about making a business decision."
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Lopez's confirmation comes a day after fellow judge Steven Tyler announced his exit from the series. Mariah Carey and Adam Lambert are reportedly in talks to replace the pair next season.
Will you miss J.Lo? Who do you think should replace her?
