British judge Simon Cowell is rumored to be leaving ‘Americal Idol’ next year due to his ruthless work schedule. The 49 year-old also fronts the talent shows “Britain’s Got Talent” and “The X Factor” in the UK, and heads a record label and a television production firm.

Simon tells the Daily Mirror he has to make four transatlantic flights in a week just to keep up with his hectic filming, according to WENN.

Simon says, “I don’t want to come over as whiney because I am very grateful that I have got these jobs. But there is a point where I am not sure we can keep this schedule up.

“It takes longer and longer to make these shows because you have to put more into them, and I am not sure we can sustain me doing three shows a year, with the record label and the TV production company.

“Most people do one show a year and I do three and they involve a lot of travelling. One may have to go. I don’t know which one. That is the problem, I like all of them. I can’t imagine not doing Britain’s Got Talent and I can’t imagine not doing X Factor.

“But I guess America is more likely to go because I have got one year under contract. Maybe that will be the end.”

Simon’s ‘American Idol’ contract ends next year (2010) and he seems to be decided to leave the show. Can Americal Idol survive without the brutally honest judge? I don’t think it’s even worth seeing if he is not there… I think the producers will do everything to keep Simon on the show, but just in case he decides to drop they already have a new judge, Kara DioGuardi.

[images: wenn.com]