Jennifer Lopez‘s stint as a judge on ‘American Idol‘ may be coming to an end, and if the singer does not return next season, ‘AI’ execs are said to be looking at Adam Lambert to fill her spot.

Despite the fact that Fox heads adore J.Lo and “don’t want her to leave,” new reports say that it’s likely that she won’t be returning to the hit singing competition show and that Lambert, a former contestant, is one of their top replacement contenders.

According to ScreenCrush, a source told E! Online that “they have been talking about Adam for over a month.” The insider added, “He knows what it’s like to be on the receiving end of the judges’ comments, he has a human touch, and they know they can’t go wrong if they bring him on. He would be able to bring a unique perspective to the show.”

With more recently added world tour dates this fall, Lopez’s busy schedule may prevent her from sharing the ‘AI’ judges’ panel next season. Rumors are that Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler may not be returning either, but until the network confirms any of this, it’s all hearsay.

Lambert was the runner-up in the eighth season of ‘American Idol.’ He has since released two albums — ‘For Your Entertainment’ and ‘Trespassing’ — and was nominated for a Grammy in 2010 for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Watch the Adam Lambert ‘Never Close Our Eyes’ Video

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