Madonna’s manager Israeli businessman Guy Oseary is hotly tipped to replace Simon Cowell as an American Idol judge.

Mr Cowell has recently announced that the current season of American Idol will be his last and speculation has been growing about his replacement.

Jerusalem-born Mr Oseary, who has managed Madonna since 2005, has also made numerous TV appearances and guest starred in films including Charlie’s Angels.

He began his career in the music industry aged 17 working for Maverick Records, rising to become chairman of the label. In May 2004 he became a principal in Untitled Entertainment, a top entertainment management company

He has also written a book called Jews who Rock about Jews in the music industry.

Mr Oseary is competing for the American Idol top spot with fellow Jew, shock-jock Howard Stern, an American radio presenter.

Mr Stern told listeners to his radio show that he’d need to be offered a lot of money to do the gig, and said all American Idol singers could do was “fakakta karaoke.”