US TV
Rex Features
Lythgoe, who has worked on the show for all seven seasons, has decided to concentrate on making So You Think You Can Dance a worldwide hit. He will also work on a new project with Simon Fuller, with whom he created the Dance format.
"Due to the huge success of Dance, my summer will be taken up by travels to South Africa, Australia and Canada to work on local versions of the show," Lythgoe explained in a statement. "I will step back from my day-to-day producing work on American Idol and will be devoting my time to a new venture with Simon Fuller."
Fox, which broadcasts Idol in the US, added: "We congratulate Nigel on the proposed joint venture he is developing with Simon Fuller. He is an extraordinarily talented producer whose creative contributions to the No. 1 show on television have been immeasurable."
Idol will continue to be produced by Fuller and Lythgoe's 19 Entertainment company. Rumours suggest that fellow executive producer Ken Warwick could now become the programme's sole showrunner.
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