Simon Cowell Leaving American Idol?

Could this be the end of an era? (AP Images)

Simon Cowell may be ending his long-running stint on American Idol, so says his older brother, Tony Cowell. Cowell, whose contract expires at the end of this coming season, will probably not renew it - even though he gets paid a whopping $50 million annually. Cowell is apparently bored with the show and would prefer to focus on his show in Britain, The X Factor.

Cowell's brother confirmed the rumors in his weekly podcast recording, saying, "Simon prepares for a new season of 'Idol,' or should I say his last season of 'Idol' -- OK, I will, because it is," Tony said. "As I sit here in the sunny Caribbean with my family, a press statement is being prepared which will confirm what everyone expected: Simon will leave Idol at the end of 2010 to concentrate on bringing the American version of The X Factor to US TV in 2011."

If Idol loses Cowell, it could cost them a lot of viewers - and with the recent replacement of Paula Abdul with talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, producers fear that too many changes will cost them big ratings.

While there has still been no official confirmation from Fox, there has been plenty of evidence in recent weeks to support the possibility that Cowell will be leaving American Idol.

Last week, The Times of London reported that Simon Cowell had met with Peter Rice, the head of the Fox television network. During that meeting, Cowell apparently told Rice that he was thinking about leaving Idol.

The Times, which is owned by News Corporation, the same company that owns Fox Television Network, stated that The X Factor would begin taping episodes in Los Angeles in the fall of 2011. The  Bodog Sportsbook has celebrity odds. Need an account? Join Bodog today