The X Factor will always have faced hot competition from American Idol, the US singing talent show's predecessor. However, despite having only managing to get half as many viewers as American Idol, they've done really well with average audiences exceeding 12m. Part of that success is down to the judges, one of whom, La Reid, has announced that this second season of the X Factor will be his last.

Reid made his name, success and fortune in the music industry, he's had a hand in the enormous successes of Dido, Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo, Usher and Rick Ross. As the CEO of the Island Def Jam Music Group he has even bigger stars in his debt, including Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West. Now he's the CEO of Epic records, with the likes of Avril Lavigne and Outkast on the books. You can see why he was asked to be a judge on the show.

"Doing the show was fun," he said, but he's also learnt a lot that he can apply to his own business. "the idea was go and learn television." He added, when speaking to press after his formal resignation, "I know a little bit about it, so now let's go produce some shows." 

Speaking to Access Hollywood he's admitted that he needs to get back to his real job, saying, "I have to go back and I have a company to run that I've kind of neglected and it saddens me a little bit, but only a little bit." He said, adding with an endearing touch of humility, "I have a huge responsibility to a roster of artists and it's kind of time for me to stop doing the 'me' show."