Katy Perry wants to quit American Idol after six years over fears she is being repeatedly ‘thrown under the bus by producers’ who she believes have purposefully edited her to look like the ‘nasty judge’.

Katy has faced a slew of controversy and scandal this season – and now sources tell DailyMail.com that she has grown tired of dealing with the backlash from viewers, reaching breaking point when she was booed for doling out criticism to contestants.

Although Katy has faced criticism in the past, the insider revealed that this season has been particularly tough on her, particularly when she was dragged into a mom-shaming scandal that prompted one singer on the show to quit.

‘Katy feels like [the producers] threw her under the bus,’ the source said. ‘She feels like her comments could have been removed.

‘Katy became aware of the harsh criticism. Getting booed really upset her. She was trying to stay in her lane, do her job and go home.

‘She went into it thinking she was going to foster young talent. For her good intentions to be misinterpreted it was not what she wanted.

‘She has accomplished so much in her career and is now being looked at as a nasty reality show judge.

‘Katy’s wanted out for some time now, but this season was way too much for her to handle.’

Although Katy has faced criticism in past seasons, season 21 was the toughest for her to maintain fan approval. At the start of the season, she was accused of ‘mom-shaming’ Sara Beth Liebe, 25, telling the young mother of three that she had been ‘laying on the table too much.’

Another wave of backlash came during Hollywood week when Katy told struggling hopefuls Carina DeAngelo, 25, and Nutsa Buzaladze, 25, that their performance was ‘underwhelming’ – adding that their ‘energy was broken.’

In the wake of both incidents, Katy was slammed on social media – and that criticism has continued to dog her in the weeks since, with several fans crying out for her to be ‘replaced’, even dragging her into the ‘rigging’ row that erupted when this year’s winner, Iam Tongi, was crowned.

Now, DailyMail.com’sider says, she’s decided enough is enough and is ready to call it quits altogether – walking away from a reported $25 million-per-season pay check in the process.

However, the source insisted that money doesn’t matter to the chart-topper – and that no pay check will ever be worth the damage she feels the show is doing to her ‘legacy’.