That said, he may be making a wise decision. While Idol is still a big ratings grabber, the show isn't as good as it used to be and the banter and comments from the judges are beyond stale. Not that Mary's Woooooooooo's are much better, but with SYTYCD's rotating third judge, it ups the eloquent and weird factor at the same time. And the adorable and irresistible Cat Deeley is so much better (and prettier, which seems to matter to Nigel) than Seacrest. I mean, I can't tell you who is going to win SYTYCD on Thursday, but I can pretty much figure out how the entire next season of Idol is going to go. The judges and Seacrest will travel all over the country. We'll have to sit through countless freaky auditions (which will supposedly be broken up a bit this season with the Hollywood round, but I'll believe that when I see it). Simon will look bored. Paula will look exhausted and try to say nice if incomprehensible things about people. Randy will tell them they did their thing and laugh behind a piece of paper when people perform badly. They'll all say it is the best group of finalists they've ever had. The top 12 will be a mix of disasters with a smattering of quality performers. Inevitably one of the most talented people will be voted out early, and Seacrest will chastise the American public for forgetting to vote. Someone who is horrifyingly bad will stick around way too long and then there will be a winner who has a small chance of actually making a decent record before the label will decide to dump him/her and then they are forced to try and make a new career on the Great White Way. And yes, I will sit and watch/complain about the entire thing.

Given the predictability, can you really blame Nigel for leaving? (I'd get out of there before I had to sit through all those auditions too!) He's making a calculated risk, by leaving this slowly sinking ship before they can run it into the ground and I don't think its likely he'll end up in the poor house because of it. It's not like that time he tried to open a winery.