Simon Cowell can't wait to leave American Idol - he's compared his imminent exit to the final few weeks of school.
The music mogul will depart the talent show's panel after the current season to focus on taking his U.K. series The X Factor to the U.S. next year (11).
And although Cowell recognises the show transformed his career, he admits he is excited about working on new projects.
He tells his fellow Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres on her TV chat show, "I am feeling a bit sad because we're nearly there, but at the same time... do you remember, sort of, those last three weeks when you were leaving school and you kind of couldn't wait to get out?
"It's a little bit like that. It's kind of exciting. I'm not being ungrateful. I am feeling a bit sad because I've had a fantastic time and the show changed my life but I just kind of knew it was time to do something different."
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