Ellen DeGeneres Quits American Idol

Comedian Ellen DeGeneres said Thursday night she has quit as an "American Idol" judge, as speculation grows about one or two new judges joining the hit TV show.

UPDATE: TMZ Reports Kara Is Out, Too

Slideshows: Nine Years Of Simon | Ellen Debuts On Idol

The news comes two months after Simon Cowell left Idol.

In a statement, DeGeneres said she loved working with the Idol crew but hated having to judge contestants and give them bad news.

"While I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings," she said.

DeGeneres also said she told Idol producers months ago she was leaving, but waited until producers knew where the show was heading before announcing her decision.

"A couple months ago, I let Fox and the American Idol producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” she said. “I told them I wouldn’t leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next."

With American Idol auditions starting soon, only Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi are left as full-time judges.

Last season, Idol successfully guest judges such as Shania Twain and Katy Perry during the audition rounds.

Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jessica Simpson are rumored to be two possible replacements for Cowell and DeGeneres.

Former Idol judge Paula Abdul also received a warm welcome on Cowell's final Idol show but she also rumored to be joining "The X Factor," Cowell's new show for Fox.

Also rumored to be coming back to Idol is former executive producer Nigel Lythgoe.