This current stretch of the American Idol offseason has been filled with the usual July news (the start of this season’s tour and the beginning of next season’s auditions), as well as speculation about who the replacement for Simon Cowell might be. But a bombshell dropped Monday might be the first indicator of enormous changes ahead that go beyond merely finding a new Simon.

The Hollywood Reporter is claiming that former Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe has nearly wrapped up an agreement to return to the series that he helped helm through its glory years. Lythgoe left Idol after its seventh season to devote all his attention to his judging and producing duties on So You Think You Can Dance.

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Lythgoe was always talkative during his time at Idol, at least more so than his successors Ken Warwick and Cecile Frot-Coutaz have been. What’s more, his commentary about Idol did not stop when he left the series, and he has been quite vocal in his criticism of such recent embarrassments as its inability to stay within its alloted time slot. Director Bruce Gowers might want to update that resume if Lythgoe returns.

But if Lythgoe comes back to Idol, one can assume that changes to the series will be much greater than simply behind the scenes. The major change to the SYTYCD format this season has been well received, which may embolden him to try the same thing with Idol. For starters, the expansion of the judging panel to four was made after Lythgoe departed, and he is on record as saying he was not a fan of that decision. Randy Jackson is the only remaining judge who ever worked on Idol with Lythgoe, but he and newcomers Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres might all be in some jeopardy now. (The Hollywood Reporter story claimed that the show is looking at Justin Timberlake and Elton John as possible new judges, which seems overly ambitious in both cases.)

Lythgoe’s return would not solve all of Idol‘s issues. He has defended the show’s overuse of pre-1970 music in the past, and he’s known to be a big admirer of Paula Abdul.. But it would be a sign that Fox knows it has a problem with its biggest hit and is willing to consider tough remedies.

Whatever it going to happen, it will need to happen quickly: the announcement of the Ellen DeGeneres hiring was made in early September last year, just before the start of the judging portion of the auditions. The time frame to make major decisions is rapidly narrowing.

Tags: american idol, simon cowell