It looks like the hot tamale train is leaving So You Think You Can Dance for good. After a month of rumors and speculation, Mary Murphy confirmed yesterday that her contract with the show has not been renewed. She has spent the last 11 years seated beside Nigel Lythgoe on the shows' judging panel, dissecting choreography and explaining ballroom moves to viewers at home.

Murphy issued a statement yesterday that was gracious to her now-former employers, but also let the fans know that it wasn't her choice to move on.

"I'm saddened of course to be released from my contract. I'm very grateful and proud to have been part of such an extraordinary television show, So You Think You Can Dance, for 11 seasons. I'm sure there wasn't a person watching that didn't know I loved what I did. Thank you to the dancers and choreographers who inspired and enriched my life every week; to the crew and producers, especially James Breen, Jeff Thacker, and Nigel Lythgoe, I thank you for believing in me. And thank you to my fans, as you always put a smile on my face when I encountered you. It has been a great pleasure and honor to be part of the dance wave that went global." said Murphy.

There have been rumors that the producers of SYTYCD have been eying Paula Abdul to take over Murphy's chair. She obviously has the dance experience and she also had a successful run as a judge on American Idol. What are your thoughts on that possibility? Would Abdul add new energy to the show or should they have stuck with the fun that Murphy has always brought to the table? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

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