LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell has decided to quit the top-rated TV talent show when his contract ends in 2010, according to a report in British tabloid The Sun, which would deal a blow to the Fox network.

Cowell, 50, has been with the TV juggernaut since the start of "American Idol" in 2002 but his contract expires after the end of Season 9, which starts in January and ends in May 2010, and in the past he has hinted at being bored with his role.

His insults to tone-deaf singers are a key factor in luring viewers to the competition that over the past three years has seen its ratings slip, and this season already sees the departure of another original judge, popular Paula Abdul.

Cowell's brother Tony, who hosts a weekly radio podcast called "The Cowell Factor", said in a broadcast on Tuesday that Simon was preparing for his last season of "Idol".

"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," Tony Cowell claimed, according to Britain's Sun newspaper.

The Sun, like Fox television, is part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp media empire. The podcast could not be found later on Tuesday. The Sun report said Tony Cowell had "blurted out the claim" and that the podcast had since been removed.

Cowell's publicist and the Fox network in Los Angeles, where "Idol" is produced, both said they had no comment on the reports. Cowell, who has his own record label and produces three other TV talent shows, hinted repeatedly earlier this year that he was growing bored with his stint on "Idol".

Abdul quit earlier this year, and she will be replaced on the upcoming season by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

While still America's most-watched TV show, "Idol" audiences slipped in 2009 to an average 26.3 million per twice weekly episode from a high of about 30.8 million in 2006.[/b]

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RIP American Idol

American Idol 2002-2010

There's no point in even airing the show anymore because it's soon to be dead.

dont care about him

American Idol.

Oh well. The U.S. version of the X-Factor will probably be a hit.

lol

YAY X-Factor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope the X Factor doesn't have the same effect that it has on the UK charts. Basically every time an artist performs, they go #1. That's not always a bad thing, but it is very annoying.

I think Twitter crashed because of this.

Well I'm not watching anymore.

Yeah @

Good. Its then means well no longer have over here. The Xfator the British version of American Idol. Its the othere way round. We had Pop Idol years ago same format. Xfactor so popular. I think even more popular than Pop Idol.

This US X Factor better bring REAL stars.

They'll be one or two, the rest will be irrelevant.

yay US X-Factor

its about time american idol dies and something new comes in

American Idol changed US television. Now the only thing on t.v. will be So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars. I don't even like dancing. And poor Ryan. He'll only have like 5 other jobs now. =\

I guess 2010 is gonna be the last year for American Idol Im gonna miss it. Hopefully X factor is as good

I don't understand why they just didn't turn idol into X Factor oh well I have been waiting for them to turn X Factor into idol for a while. X Factor is like Idol on steroids anyway.