Randy Jackson will not return for season 14 of American Idol.
Jackson, who has been with the singing competition since its 2002 debut, first announced his departure from the show after season 12 but ended up returning as a mentor for season 13. He had previously served as a judge.
“Randy has been such an integral part of American Idol since day one, both as a judge and as a mentor,” said American Idol, Fox, FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment in a statement. “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.”
In June, Fox announced that Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. would return as judges for season 14 of Idol along with longtime show host Ryan Seacrest.
Lopez, who rejoined the judging panel in season 13, had previously worked on seasons 10 and 11, while Urban joined the show in season 12 and Connick joined for season 13.
Season 13 of the singing competition averaged a 2.6 rating among adults 18-49 and 10.5 million total viewers, according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day numbers. Idol’s 12th season averaged 3.8 in the demo and 14.3 million viewers.
