Is one of music's biggest stars headed to one of America's most popular television shows?
Jennifer Lopez is reportedly close to inking a deal to appear as a judge on "American Idol" next year. The news comes as Ellen DeGeneres departs the "Idol" judging team after one season.
DeGeneres said in a statement Thursday that "a couple of months ago I let Fox and the 'American Idol' producers know that this didn't feel like the right fit for me."
She later tweeted, "Dim the lights … I've voted myself off 'American Idol.'"
"While I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings," DeGeneres said.
Judge Randy Jackson will be back but there's no official word on whether music industry veteran Kara DioGuardi will return for another season.
TMZ.com has reported that DioGuardi has been fired after two seasons, and the web site has also posted that Aerosmith's Steven Tyler will take the third judge slot. Other names mentioned as potential replacements include Harry Connick Jr., Jessica Simpson and Justin Timberlake.
DeGeneres, who replaced former judge Paula Abdul after "American Idol's" 8th season, was a huge fan of the show, but many fans thought she didn't have any music industry experience to bring to the table.
When she first started, viewers looked for tension between DeGeneres and veteran judge Simon Cowell, but what they got was a seeming love-fest.
Cowell has since left the show to work on the U.S. version of "The X Factor." He wished DeGeneres the best, telling the Hollywood Reporter, "I have huge respect for her because she's always been in control of her own destiny."
Ten seasons in Randy Jackson is the only original judge left, and it's no surprise "American Idol" is making changes.
The show's ratings have declined steadily: Even the finale with Cowell's departure was down almost 20 percent from the year before.
"American Idol" returns to the air in January 2011 but filming for new audition episodes begins in September.