Randy Jackson, the last original "American Idol" judge still involved with the show, confirmed Tuesday he's leaving the televised singing competition.
"After 13 seasons, I felt now was the perfect time to leave 'American Idol,'" Jackson said in a statement to Deadline. "I'm proud to have been a part of a series that discovered some incredible artists and will go down in history as one of the most successful television shows ever. A true original, Idol started it all. Onto what's next."
Season 14 of "American Idol" is scheduled to return with judges Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban on Jan. 14.
This isn't the first time Jackson has announced his departure from the series. He said Season 12 would be his last before he was lured back to serve as a mentor in Season 13.
"Randy has been such an integral part of American Idol since Day 1, both as a judge and as a mentor. He's provided great advice and support, shaping the success of so many Idols we have discovered over the years. We wish him all the best in his next chapter. Randy will always be part of our Idol family and we hope he'll visit from time to time," Fox, Idol producers FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment said in a statement.
