Late Friday night, Mike Darnell, Fox’s president of Alternative Programming and the man responsible for helping American Idol become a success, announced that he was leaving the network he called home for 18 years. While Idol’s best years are far behind it, Darnell says that the departure had nothing to do with Idol.

“This was a personal choice,” Darnell said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “Four years ago, Idol was doing a 25- to 30-share and I was still very close to leaving. I've been here 18 years! It's not quitting, it's a decision to move that's really not about the shows. I love all those shows and I'm going to miss those people.”

Darnell told THR that the decision had been in the works for a “couple months” and he was close to leaving four or five years ago. “I love this company; it's part of my family and I feel like I'm part of the fabric of it,” he said.

When asked if Idol and The X Factor could be saved, Darnell, who also brought Gordon Ramsay to Fox, told THR, “You have to nurture them and take a deep breath and realize that none of these shows are going be be what Idolonce was -- and that includes Idol, which I think will be around for a long time.”

He continued, “There could be strong numbers and people will enjoy them and they'll be great for networks, but unfortunately, like news magazines and forensic shows once were, they are going to keep eating at each other as long as there's too many of them on.”

Thanks to Darnell, Simon Cowell, Ryan Seacrest and Ramsay are all household names. According to Deadline, Seacrest issued a statement, calling him a “pioneer” of the reality TV genre.

“He brilliantly paved the way for all of us, creating a powerful entertainment genre that audiences can’t get enough of,” Seacrest said. “I’ve had the privilege of working with him for more than a decade, and I’ve learned so much from him. He has been an inspiration for imparting his creative genius constantly, a mentor as I launched my production company, as well as a dear friend. I’m excited to work with him as he blazes a new path in his incredible career.”

The news comes among a flurry of reports that Jennifer Hudson and other Idol alums might be back to be judges on the show. Fox still hasn’t confirmed this, but none of the judges from season 12 are expected to return.

image: Fox