Howard Stern will not be returning to "America's Got Talent" next season. He has decided to leave the NBC show later this year, after four years of judging the talent competition, according to Us Weekly.
Stern made the official announcement this morning on his SiriusXM satellite radio talk show, revealing he will be taking part in another TV show, which went unmentioned, according to the New York Daily News.
NBC wanted a final answer from the 61-year-old by July 4 so, if needed, the network could look into hiring someone new for next season. Stern suggested that the show's executive producer, former "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell, should take over his role on the judges' panel.
Considering all NBC has done for Stern, this may have come as a huge shock to the network. The show used to tape in Los Angeles, but moved it to New York City's Radio City Music Hall, which is right across the street from Stern's radio studio, so they could work with his schedule.
There have been many times where people wondered whether or not he'd return as judge. In December, Stern announced that he would return to the show for season 10, reported Deadline at the time.
"I decided that a life without 'AGT' is not a life worth living," he said in a statement just six months ago. "America needs a caring, compassionate and wise judge and who I am to deny the people what they want? It would be selfish of me to walk away."
As someone making nearly $15 million a season for "America's Got Talent," his decision to leave has many people wondering why he's exiting and what his new show will bring.
