An announcement is expected as early as today on Nigel Lythgoe’s return to American Idol. A well-placed source confirmed that Lythgoe will once again serve as an executive producer on the show for its 10th season. Lythgoe first came to the United States from England in 2002 to produce Idol and then became a producer, judge and co-creator of So You Think You Can Dance. He left Idol in 2008.
Lythgoe will not replace any existing producers, but will act as a voice on behalf of 19 Entertainment, which shares rights to the show with FremantleMedia. The companies license the show to Fox.
Lythgoe has publicly stated that if he ever returned to Idol, he would replace the entire panel and go back to three judges. Fox has yet to confirm reports that Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler will replace Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres on the panel.
