'American Idol' Judge Katy Perry 'Pushed Out' of Gig, Producers Tired of Non-Stop Drama: Report

Chart-topping diva Katy Perry decided to ditch her judging role on American Idol only after being "pushed out the door" by producers, according to a sensational report.

The report claims the Fireworks hitmaker felt leaving was the only choice after being portrayed as a villain and Simon Cowell 2.0 due to the way her comments were shaped in the editing room, RadarOnline.com has learned.

"Katy's saying she was painted as the harsh, evil judge on the show and that she's leaving of her own volition — but the truth is that she's much closer to that persona than she thinks, and everybody was tired of dealing with it," one tipster told The National Enquirer.

Perry, for her part, told fans the upcoming 22nd season will be her last after serving as a judge alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan since the show was revived by ABC in 2018, hinting at no behind-the-scenes animosity and just a desire to focus on other aspects of her career.

"Well, you know, this fall, this September, I'm going to be doing this huge music festival in Brazil called Rock in Rio. It's really exciting," she told Jimmy Kimmel. "I love Idol so much. It connected me with the heart of America. But I need to feel that pulse of my own beat."

The report noted that long before her exit, Perry caught flak for what Idol fans believed was "mom-shaming" contestant Sara Beth Liebe for spending too much time with her little ones, and more recently for criticizing Nutsa Buzaladze's sparkly outfits.

Liebe spoke out after Perry and the other judges were wowed by the fact she had three kids by age 25, a tidbit she shared during her audition that led Perry to begin fanning herself.

"If Katy lays on the table, I think I'm going to pass out," Liebe said, to which the I Kissed a Girl singer replied, "Honey, you've been laying on the table too much."

"It was embarrassing to have that on TV, and it was hurtful," Liebe said via TikTok last March. "I see all of the young moms and just moms in general ... keep loving your babies. Nobody deserves to feel crappy about that. If you're a good mama and you love your babies, that's all that really matters. Other comments just don't feel necessary."

Perry was also booed by the audience last April when she told Buzaladze, "Nutsa, every time you take the stage it's like you glitter bomb the stage."

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