Ken Ehrlich to exec. produce 2007 Emmys

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LOS ANGELES, May 5 (UPI) -- The executive producers of "American Idol," Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick, have dropped their responsibility for the 2007 Primetime Emmy Awards.

The 59th annual Emmy Awards will instead be executive produced by Ken Ehrlich, who has produced 27 Grammy Awards shows and three Emmy Awards shows, the Hollywood Reporter said Saturday.

"After we wrapped the enormous effort of 'Idol Gives Back,' we looked at our upcoming slate of projects including the 'American Idol' finale and the additional shows we will be involved in this summer, and realized that we could not devote the creative energy and time necessary to make the Emmys outstanding for the academy and Fox," Lythgoe and Warwick said in a joint statement.

"We respect Nigel and Ken's decision and are fortunate that Ken Ehrlich has agreed to return to executive produce his fourth Primetime Emmy telecast. He did a terrific job with the Emmys last year, and we are glad to have him back," said the chairman and CEO of the academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Dick Askin.

The 2007 Emmy Awards will air live on Sept. 16 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.