After a lot of speculation, Paula Abdul has joined Simon Cowell’s X Factor as a fellow judge. Accompanying her on the panel will be Cowell, British singer Cheryl Cole and American music producer Antonio “L.A.” Reid. Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls and British TV presenter Steve Jones will co-host the show, which premieres in September and just started filming on Sunday, with Paula there.
The ‘X Factor’ judging panel is complete, with the final chair to be filled by Paula Abdul, who just closed the deal in last-minute negotiations, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Abdul will take her seat alongside Simon Cowell, reuniting the former ‘Idol’ stars once again. Cheryl Cole and Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid have already been named as the other ‘X Factor’ judges.
Meanwhile, Pussycat Doll and former ‘Dancing With the Stars’ champ Nicole Scherzinger has been hired to host the U.S. talent competition when it premieres on Fox in September.
But Scherzinger will have a co-host, according to EW.com: Steve Jones, British TV personality. Jones, 34, is a Welsh-born former model and a virtual unknown in the U.S. (Of course, Ryan Seacrest was largely unknown when he was tapped to emcee ‘American Idol,’ and the gig seems to have worked out for him!) Jones reportedly was down to the wire competing for the ‘X Factor’ job against ‘High School Musical’ star Corbin Bleu.
Scherzinger, 32, wowed producers when she was a guest judge on a recent episode of the ‘X Factor’ in the U.K., where she also released a hit single this year, ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath.’
Abdul, 48, reportedly hammered out her new contract just in the nick of time: The judging rounds of ‘X Factor’ begin taping in Los Angeles today. [Sunday]
[From Popeater]
Well Paula will certainly make things more interesting, if not harder to understand. Cowell needed a big name to join him on the panel and while Reid and Cole are both famous they don’t have Paula’s name recognition. I like her and find her very sweet, but she’s definitely loopy as hell. She’s a fun sidekick for Simon though and he’ll be recreating the most interesting judge dynamic from Idol by having her join him on X Factor. Idol producers really screwed up the panel by bringing in Kara DioGuardi in 2009 and kind of forcing Paula out. I kind of understand why they did it though. She can’t be easy to work with.
These photos are from outside the X Factor taping on 5/8/11. I find them kind of mesmerizing and I love Paula’s goofy purple dress and shoes. They’re perfect for her. Credit: WENN.com
You know there are going to be bitch-diva fireworks with Paula, Cheryl Cole and Nicole Scherzinger. Their outfits are going to make JLo on Idol look demure.
Steve Jones for HGF? He was the only reason I woke up and got out of bed on a Sunday so I could watch him on T4.
Simon’s a genius and X Factor will be great. Can’t wait to see Paula and Simon together again!
Those are some cozy looking photographs there. Did they bang? I never really watch American Idol so I don’t know what their chemistry is like.
@marjalane I TOTALLY agree-that was actually my first thought. Should we take money on who would win that catfight? I think it’s a toss up between Cheryl and Nicole. They are both scrappy. I think Paula would end up crying in a corner.
Wouldn’t it be nice if Simon and Paula were more than friends? They look pretty good together.
Paula is a train wreck and so much fun to watch. Simon is one slick businessman.
SO excited Paula is back. American Idol has really tanked since they messed with the original formula. I have a soft spot for Paula since her “Straight Up” days. I hope this show is a hit so Paula can have the last laugh.
@Faye
For some reason I hope they did. Something about those photos gives me a smile.
Paula,yay!!. this should be fun!
simon and paula are great antagonnists.
i doubt they banged,just learnt to love each others crazy.
The US is going to be introduced to Cheryl Cole, that woman is SUCH a narcissistic diva b*atch. She makes JLo look humble! X factor UK is NEVER about the contestants but always about Cheryl.
Not to mention that she has one of the worst accents from the UK you can get (out of the dozen of so accents there are a couple of really bad ones), she sounds like those people you sometimes see in documentaries about poor folks in places like rural alabama ie US alabama deep south white trash (Disclaimer: I am NOT calling ALL people from rural Alababama white trash. But you know the minority I’m talking about: the stereotypes they always seem to dig up. Like the charicatures they fing for that show swamp people, yes I know that does not take place in Alabama).
Anywho, I predict a disaster. No one’s gonna understand a word she says and you know how that does not sit well with networks. Apparently she’s been going to an accent coach to try to make her sound a bit more understandable to a none british ear.
American Idol has such a great vibe this year because Simon and his judge drama isn’t on. X factor is all about the judges constantly arguing in a non entertaining fashion. Am NOT looking forward to this show at all and I hope it tanks.
AI for the win! Yes the judges are bit too much like carebears on the live set now, but I prefer that to the useless bickering of diva judges.
I love Simon and Paula together, I’m SO excited for X-Factor. That being said, Paula reminds me of 3 year old Michelle Tanner.
YES!!!!!
Pretty smart of him to bring her on.
OMG! I bought those same exact shades Simon is wearing. Need to get rid of them asap!
I have really enjoyed AI this year. I felt the judges did a fabulous job of picking talent. While I do miss Simon’s smarmy comments, I haven’t missed him or Paula at all. I think they have turned out to be the reason AI was stale & boring.
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