The new ads for American Idol talk about all the stars starting out somewhere but when it comes to the judges’ seat this new season might see the end of one of them. According to various indicators this season might be the last time we see Simon Cowell on American Idol. The word out on the market is that American Idol’s British judge Simon Cowell might leave Idol after the end of this season. If the fact that his contract was still open for renewal was not enough Simon’s brother, Tony, announced on his weekly podcast that this might be Simon’s last season on American Idol. According to Tony a press statement will soon be made to this effect and he also said that Simon was leaving Idol so that he could take another full time responsibility. Tony said that Simon would work on getting the American version of X Factor to US TV in 2011.

There are other explanations and rumors which turn Tony’s theory on its head. Some theories doing the rounds suggest that Simon would be allowed to get X Factor to US television and for return he would stay on in Idol. A new contract could be worked out with Simon, which unlike the present one will allow him to get the hugely popular X Factor into the US and will also get him a fatter bundle. X Factor is hugely popular and drew an astounding 19 million viewers for the season finale last month, one of the top most successes from X Factor is Leona Lewis. Whatever the decision is, it has been kept safe by both the parties. After Simon’s meeting with Fox’s boss Peter Rice last week, where they discussed the contract and Simon’s intentions of leaving Idol, both Fox and Simon have declared to make any comment on whether any deal has been worked out. Some reports claim that X Factor will start shooting in Los Angeles around September 2011.

While most people think that Simon will leave Idol as he is much bigger now than when he started out in Idol there has been speculation regarding So You Think You Can Dance, another Fox reality series, whether it will return next fall or continue with the summer season. Nigel Lythgoe, the executive producer for So You Think You Can Dance gave indications that there won’t be any back to back seasons of this show. If all falls into place you can catch American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance and the American version of X Factor in three different seasons.