Taylor Hicks reportedly voiced his approval of the change in judges on TV's American Idol in Los Angeles on Friday, according to TMZ.

When a photographer for the entertainment news website asked the season 5 Idol winner his thoughts about the state of the Fox's hit show, Hicks said the "revolving door of judges is a good thing." He also said there will always be drama and that it's good for the show.

Randy Jackson confirmed on May 9 that he is leaving the show after the season finale. Jackson was a judge on Idol since 2002, and the last remaining original judge to leave the series.

There are widespread but unconfirmed reports that the judges are on the chopping block, according to the New York Daily News. The network may ax the rest of the panel - Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey and Keith Urban - and start the show from scratch the next season.

Ratings for the Fox flagship show fell more than 20% from last year's already disappointing numbers.

According to preliminary Nielsen Co. figures, 14.2 million viewers tuned in to watch Candice Glover's victory over Kree Harrison on May 15. That's a 34 percent drop from the year before, when nearly 22 million viewers saw Phillip Phillips win the Idol crown. That represented the show's previous record low finale audience.

The season 12 finale viewership from the 18-to-49-year-old audience, the most coveted by advertisers, dropped 44% compared to last year.

Fox Entertainment Chairman Kevin Reilly repeatedly pointed out that even if it has declined from its peak, the show is still a huge moneymaker for the network.

Kantar Media, a TV industry analysis firm, said the show drew $836 million in ad revenue last year, soaring well above almost everything else on television.