Now that Upfronts 2015 have entered the scheduling phase, we thought most of the major renewals, cancellations and pickups had delivered their biggest surprises. Not so apparently, as FOX has decided to put American Idol out to pasture after 15 seasons, ending the reality singing competition for good next year.
After weeks and weeks of unconfirmed reports and rumors, Fox has finally announced what it feels like we've known all along: Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. will be joining Keith Urban on the judging panel for the 13th season of American Idol...
As had been rumored for a while, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj have both publicly confirmed that they are leaving 'American Idol' after this season, following the announcement that Randy Jackson was also retiring. This leaves Keith Urban as the last judge standing, though perhaps not for long.
'American Idol' used to be the hottest show on television, but after 13 years, it's starting to show its age. The show's ratings have slipped from regularly having 30 million viewers to now somewhere around 11 million. And though the show has had some different judges over the course of its run, it's now looking to ditch all four current judges to have a fresh face for season 13.