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It’s Official: Fox’s ‘American Idol’ Has Rehired Nigel Lythgoe, Who Promises ‘Face Lift’ for Show

Aug 5, 2010  •  Post A Comment

After a two-year absence from the program,  Fox has signed Nigel Lythgoe to a two-year contract to rejoin "American Idol" as executive producer, reports USA Today.

Lythgoe says he returned because "it was tough to watch things going down. I was never happy with the four judges, and I was watching the chemistry sort of be lost." As for his approach to the show, he vows that he’ll take a subtle approach instead of a total overhaul. "It’s going to have a face lift, but it’s not going to be fundamental change," he says.

The search for new judges — with Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres leaving — will take "a little while yet," the story says. He said he’s favoring a return to a three-judge panel but will be open to four if he finds the right personality combination. Lythgoe also says he doesn’t believe there will be guest judges, and that he isn’t a fan of having mentors each week, the story adds.

2 Comments

  1. This is great. Let’s get the focus back on the kids who are singing. He is right that the show lost its way with guest mentors and judges battling for airtime, there wasn’t enough time to expose the personalities of the real stars of the show. The real reason people tune in each week.

  2. I agree with Digital Guy. I tune in to watch the performances, not hear the judges. Too many egos in the judging panel.

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