Paula Abdul Confirmed as 'X Factor' Judge

Simon Cowell has spent months drawing out the suspense over whether Paula Abdul will be a judge on his new talent competition, The X Factor -- so we're not surprised that somebody finally spilled the beans. On Saturday, an insider confirmed to the Associated Press that Abdul, 48, is on board as a judge. Then on Sunday, Cowell himself released a statement confirming that his old American Idol frenemy had joined the cast.

"This show would never have been the same without Paula and I can't believe I am saying this -- I have missed her a lot, and I am thrilled she's on the show," Cowell, 51, said.

As for Abdul, she says the idea of sitting next to Cowell after three years apart is  "awkward and wonderful," and that she's "thrilled... exhilarated... and terrified."

The news follows Saturday's announcement by E! News  that the show will be hosted by Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones. Scherzinger, the 32-year-old lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, became a favorite of talent-contest audiences when she won Dancing with the Stars last season. As for Jones, he's being imported from the BBC for his first American TV show. The 34-year-old Welshman is known to British audiences as a game show host extraordinaire -- and as a bonus, he happens to be extremely good-looking. Watch him take a lie-detector test with Ricky Gervais in the video below!

We're intrigued by Cowell's unconventional casting, a mix of celebs from across the Pond (Jones, judge Cheryl Cole), established American TV talent (Abdul, Scherzinger) and industry hotshots (judge Antonio "L.A." Reid). It's not unsimilar to the way he put together the original American Idol -- and we all know how well that turned out. And it's nice to know that Paula, despite her differences with Simon, is forever his girl.

 

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/paula-abdul-confirmed-x-factor-judge/1-a-347798

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