Paula Abdul Parts Ways With ‘X Factor’

In the late “80s, she was “Forever Your Girl.” In recent years, she’s been forever faithful as a singing contest connoisseur. But as of today, Paula Abdul is no longer an “X Factor” judge. The performer is leaving the FOX talent show in the wake of her cast mates, host Steve Jones and fellow judge Nicole Scherzinger, also parting ways with the series. Given the number of years she and Simon Cowell, who recruited her for “X Factor” after her split with “American Idol,” have shared the small screen, the announcement has come as a bit of a shock to the public.

Here’s Paula’s statement on her departure: “Yes, it’s true; I won’t be returning to The X Factor next season. I’ve learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations. Simon and I, along with Fox and Fremantle, have been communicating about this for a while now, and I have absolute understanding of the situation. Simon is, and will remain a dear friend of mine and I’ve treasured my experience working this past season with my extended family at Fox and Fremantle. I want nothing more than for The X Factor to exceed ALL of their wildest dreams. This truly has been a blessing and I am most grateful.”

Here is Simon Cowell’s statement: “I want to say a massive thank you to Paula, Nicole and Steve for being part of The X Factor last year. We had a lot of fun making the show together and importantly, we found some real talent and stars. You do develop friendships with the people you work with and Paula, in particular, is a very close friend and I expect to be working with her on another project in the near future. I’m sure all three are going to have massive success in what they do next , but now is the time to thank them all for everything they did last year.”