Final US XF Judge Confirmed

[Smithy]

Paula Abdul will be back at the judging table with Simon Cowell, this time on Fox's "The X Factor," a person familiar with the negotiations said Saturday.

Though widely expected, confirmation of Abdul's joining the new singing contest was held up as negotiations continued until the eve of the show's first taping, according to the person familiar with the talks. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Fox and the show's producers had not authorized public comment.

Representatives for Abdul did not respond to requests for comment.

Abdul will be on hand for Sunday's taping in Los Angeles of the first judging session for "The X Factor." This will reunite her with fellow judge Cowell, her former sparring partner on the "American Idol" judging panel. Other previously announced judges include British pop superstar Cheryl Cole and Grammy-winning producer Antonio "L.A." Reid.

"The X Factor," based on Cowell's hit British show, will debut this fall on Fox.

The 48-year-old Abdul is a dancer, choreographer and recording artist. She reigned on "Idol" as the nice if sometimes dizzy-seeming judge who often clashed colorfully with Cowell in his role as resident bullyboy. She left "Idol" in 2009, after eight seasons.

In January she debuted on CBS with her own talent competition, "Live to Dance," which was a flop.

Co-hosts of "The X Factor" will be Steve Jones and Nicole Scherzinger, according to the person familiar with the deal. Jones is a popular TV host in Britain. Scherzinger is a former member of the girl group the Pussycat Dolls who has appeared on the British version of "The X Factor."

"The X Factor" is open to solo singers and vocal groups age 12 and up. The winner will get a $5 million record contract.

This is such a fail, the show had massive potential, but having Simon & Paula is literally AI 2.0 with L.A. in the role of Randy & Cheryl who is a total nobody who noone can understand.

[Iceman]

maybe they want it to fail :laugh:

[Smithy]

Simon had a chance to make this show huge, and he has to compete with AI which doing really well and he's managed to **** it up completely.

I actually hope it fails now /patrick

[Locke.]

It is ok Cheryl will save the show

[Marsh.]

maybe they want it to fail :laugh:

:hugesmile: Exactly what I was thinking.

Maybe they want the launch to be a complete surprise so they're giving all this crap info out.

How many Americans are gonna tune in to watch Simon, Paula and a bunch of Brits with funny accents they can't understand. Ha, fail Simon, big big fail.

[GypsyGoth]

I think the americans will love the whole bootcamp and different mentors. So the show could still be a massive success.

[Iceman]

:hugesmile: Exactly what I was thinking.

Maybe they want the launch to be a complete surprise so they're giving all this crap info out.

How many Americans are gonna tune in to watch Simon, Paula and a bunch of Brits with funny accent they can't understand. Ha, fail Simon, big big fail.

Could be.... I mean the hosts havent OFFICIALLY been confirmed yet have they? And what about Abdul?

[Smithy]

Cheryl and L.A has in a separate press confrences held by Fox

[Smithy]

I think the americans will love the whole bootcamp and different mentors. So the show could still be a massive success.

AI does mentoring too though :/

And they get massive names on it too (GaGa this week :evilgrin:)

[Iceman]

Cheryl and L.A has in a separate press confrences held by Fox

Yeah but the others arent yet? *keeps fingers crossed*

[GypsyGoth]

AI does mentoring too though :/

And they get massive names on it too (GaGa this week :evilgrin:)

GaGa's on AI this week?

And I mean the way each of the judges have a different section, like the groups or the girls.

[Smithy]

Others? You mean Paula? D:

She's the only one left and so far all the rumors have been true :/

[Smithy]

GaGa's on AI this week?

And I mean the way each of the judges have a different section, like the groups or the girls.

Yeah, she's doing the mentoring :amazed: and then performin on the Finale hee1

oh yeah I see what you mean, but I still don't think it's gonna be that successful with such a weak pannel

[GypsyGoth]

Yeah, she's doing the mentoring :amazed: and then performin on the Finale hee1


I'm gonna watch that :D

[Iceman]

Others? You mean Paula? D:

She's the only one left and so far all the rumors have been true :/

the presenters still havent been confirmed, just Edith Bowman saying that (although its likely true id like to see a surprise.....)

[Smithy]

the presenters still havent been confirmed, just Edith Bowman saying that (although its likely true id like to see a surprise.....)

Oh yeah :/

Well, people don't generally watch shows for the presenters though, and I imagine if it is Steve Jones people wouldn't be too impressed

[Callum]

I think the americans will love the whole bootcamp and different mentors. So the show could still be a massive success.

A new show The Voice which airs over there already features celebrity mentors. It doesn't have groups, that's something which it differs from XF USA but it does feature mentors so it won't be an entirely new format.

I actually really like Paula and her unpredictability but I did think the juding panel would be a stronger lineup. Hardly anybody knows of Cheryl Cole in America, they all either think it's a misspelling of Sheryl Crow or haven't a clue who she is. She will be like the Kara of AI I predict, who nobody warmed to. Expect she will have a bond with Simon unlike Kara but that won't help her. I can see this show flopping ratingswise, there's already so many talent shows in America. They've got America's Got Talent, AI, The Voice and a new one produced by Ryan Seacrest coming soon.

[Iceman]

Simon will look back in a year and go "what the hell was I thinking"

[Zippy]

Simon had a chance to make this show huge, and he has to compete with AI which doing really well and he's managed to **** it up completely.



AI is on the way out. Its real competition is The voice. Which has judges that the US audience actually know and like. And its ratings are hot and rising fast.

Thats the show it will be compared to and, by getting in first, The voice has stolen XFs thunder with the whole mentor thing.

Simon really should have gone for more popular personalities. Im not sure the US audience even want to relive the whole Simon/Paula schtick. Simon clearly thinks they do. Self indulgence.

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

-hopes cheryl flops-

[Smithy]

AI is on the way out. Its real competition is The voice. Which has judges that the US audience actually know and like. And its ratings are hot and rising fast.

Thats the show it will be compared to and, by getting in first, The voice has stolen XFs thunder with the whole mentor thing.

Simon really should have gone for more popular personalities. Im not sure the US audience even want to relive the whole Simon/Paula schtick. Simon clearly thinks they do. Self indulgence.

AI isn't on its way out, it's doing well with it's ratings and no doubt it'll continue to do well. The Voice has only been on TV for about 3 weeks so it's not possible to call it competition.

The judges are kinda profile, which is kinda a bad thing, it's not like Adam and Xtina (whose only really on it as a lifeline seeing as bionic flopped) are gonna stick around for more than one series.

But yeah I agree with the last bit

[Callum]

AI is on the way out. Its real competition is The voice. Which has judges that the US audience actually know and like. And its ratings are hot and rising fast.

Thats the show it will be compared to and, by getting in first, The voice has stolen XFs thunder with the whole mentor thing.

Simon really should have gone for more popular personalities. Im not sure the US audience even want to relive the whole Simon/Paula schtick. Simon clearly thinks they do. Self indulgence.

I wouldn't say AI is on the way out at all. Since it's revamp, the ratings have been much better and it's still one of the most watched shows in America. It's responsible for Fox's highest ratings, due to Glee's decline which is now averaging just over 8 million per episode.

[Jords]

It will take off, pretty sure of it.

[reece(:]

love paula abdul so its all good

[Matt]

Now confirmed by FOX, press release:

America’s sweetheart, world-renowned choreographer and pop icon Paula Abdul will join Cheryl Cole, Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Simon Cowell as a judge on THE X FACTOR, the highly anticipated singing competition series debuting this fall on FOX. Abdul, who sat alongside Cowell for eight seasons as a judge on AMERICAN IDOL, has worldwide album sales exceeding 50 million records, two No. 1 albums, six No. 1 singles, a Grammy Award, seven MTV Awards, two Emmy Awards, two People’s Choice Awards and two Kids’ Choice Awards. Abdul will join Cole, Cowell, and Reid as they travel to THE X FACTOR audition cities searching for the next global superstar or breakout music group.

“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,” said Simon Cowell.

"I am excited beyond words to be a part of THE X FACTOR. I couldn't be happier to bring my love for cultivating talent and performance to such a wildly anticipated show," said Paula Abdul. "I'm looking forward to being back with the FOX/FremantleMedia family and know that it will be an extraordinary journey -- we're going to have a blast. I'm also delighted and grateful to be sitting next to Simon again...but you might want to check back with me in a week or two!"

“Paula is not only the lovely, nurturing person that America fell in love with, but she’s also one of the fiercest competitors I’ve ever seen -- which makes her a perfect fit to judge THE X FACTOR,” said Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “Paula and Simon have undeniable chemistry, and together with L.A. Reid and Cheryl Cole, I think we’ve put together an incredibly entertaining judges’ panel.”

“I'm thrilled to be working with Paula again," says executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. “A consummate entertainer in her own right, she has an extraordinary talent and generosity for nurturing performers -- and her chemistry with Simon Cowell is like no other. I especially look forward to seeing her signature sensibilities in action during our mentoring rounds!"

[joeysteele]

I don't know that Ms Cole will flop, Americans like the regional accents of the UK, I was reading back over the history of pop (yeh,I maybe read too much)and found a group called the ANIMALS who were from the North East of England and they were huge in the USA it seems.

I hope Ms Cole is well liked there and that she stays there and never comes back.

[camertone]

the show sounds way too british for america's liking. none of these celebs are known in america except simon and paula. plus, there's already american idol, american public seems to getting sick of these kinda talent shows.

[MeMyselfAndI]

God i hope Cheryl fails, otherwise she will overtake Leona Lewis on the rich list D:

[Smithy]

...yeah, coz that's important

[Iceman]

...yeah, coz that's important

Exactly, who cares about rich lists :joker::joker:

[cub]

I think the judging panel is genius. Simon has essentially recast American Idol with what appears to be a Randy Jackson lookalike and Paula and added the most popular and most newsworthy Cheryl.

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

what the hell has this got to do with leona :bored:

[Wildcat!]

That is a really good lineup of Judges. I cant wait to see Xfactor in the US, its gonna be awesome. Paua as a mentor is gonna be hilarious.
I wish they had picked Babyface from Laface, rather than LA reid, but he is a genious at finding talent. Hei s a bit tough though, thats why I wanted babyface. LA, was great at finding talent, but didnt take care of the artists of Laface. A few of them got bankrupt and took him to court, Like TLC, and Tony Braxton!

Anyways, Is it gonna be the same format as the UK xfactor, with the mentoring, and judges deciding between the bottom 2? I hope so, that format is the best, and most dramatic.

So, who is the host of the main show? Is is Nicole? Or is it Steve Jones?

[Iceman]

Hi wildcat, not seen you round ina while....

I think they're co-hosts so both :D

[Wildcat!]

I havent been around in a while! JUst because nothing very interesting to talk about! :)
How are you iceman? Are you Liking F1 this season? The races have been pretty exciting so far! JUst want Vettell, to have a few engine problems. :D

So OK, they are co hosts then! Thats interesting!

[Iceman]

Yeah I been good, races have been brilliant, DRS is annoying me though, I think it makes the starts to boring haha

[Jack_]

God i hope Cheryl fails, otherwise she will overtake Leona Lewis on the rich list D:

:joker:

No words.

[Patrick]

Why do any of you honestly give a flying ****** what the American audience will think?

Chances are they'll take it, love it, act as if it was their idea first and rape it.;
Let them.

It'll die in the UK now and I'm glad - I'm sure alot of you are aswell.
We can finally get back to real Reality TV, not silly little talent shows that started of original but soon became a mess.

[Doogle]

Cheryl and Paula? -hopes they hate each other-
I might watch the US version over the UK version actually. Unless we get Sharon.

[cub]

As far as I'm concerned there's a double helping of X Factor now. I like the US casting and I think, if Alesha joins, the UK casting will be just fine. I still think it would be a genius move by Simon to get Alesha and I hope this is not a publicity stunt.

Sharon Osbourn is too old, too out of touch, never won when she was a judge and without Simon there wouldn't be able to be reined in. Plus Dannii wouldn't be pleased and I like Dannii.