14 DAY TRIAL // Things have yet to be made clear and official as regards Simon Cowell’s rumored departure from American Idol once this season, the ninth, comes to an end, but it would certainly seem that the star is already taking the necessary steps in preparation for that moment. Admittedly, the decision to leave AI is prompted by his desire to port X Factor to the US. Perez Hilton is now saying that Cowell already has a judge for the new show, besides himself.
And that person, according to the celebrity blogger who, in his turn, is quoting ongoing reports in the tabloid media, is none other that Cowell’s former mate on American Idol, Paula Abdul. Simon has been opposed to the idea of sacking Paula from the very start so, when the inevitable did eventually happen, he didn’t hesitate to approach her with an offer to star as a judge on his own show, the one he plans to bring from the UK to US audiences.
“Sorry, Ryan and Randy! There have been loud whisperings that Paula has signed a $4.5 million contract to appear on the US version of Simon Cowell’s X Factor!!!! Cowell, who announced his departure from American Idol after the upcoming season’s close to start production on The X Factor America, allegedly flew [Abdul] out to the UK to meet the X Factor production team!” Perez writes.
Moreover, an inside source is willing to corroborate on that, though still showing reluctance when it comes to going by their real name. “Simon flew Paula to London and wined and dined her relentlessly over the course of several days, even introducing her to everyone who works on X Factor. But what really clinched the deal was Simon’s pledge that she wouldn’t have to deal with all the nonsense and infighting that she hated on Idol,” the unnamed insider reveals.
This means that 2011 could literally mark the return of Paula and Simon on television, the pair that most American Idol fans loved because of the onscreen chemistry they shared. In the meanwhile, Cowell is to continue mentoring aspiring singers on AI. Paula has yet to announce her next move, but what is clear as early as now is that she won’t be taking a whole year off.