Paula Abdul: I won't be returning to "The X Factor"
(CBS) Paula Abdul has confirmed that she's leaving "The X Factor."
"Yes, it's true; I won't be returning to 'The X Factor' next season," she said in a statement.
Pictures: Paula Abdul
Pictures: "The X Factor" finale
Pictures: "The X Factor"
"I've learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations," Abdul added. "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."
She continued, "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."
News broke Tuesday that Abdul, singer Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones will not be returning for the second season of Simon Cowell's reality talent competition.
Jones announced his departure on Twitter, writing, "I won't be hosting next seasons X Factor which is a shame but I can't complain as I've had a great time. Good luck to everyone on the show." Fox confirmed that he and Scherzinger will not return to "The X Factor" next season.
Scherzinger also used Twitter to confirm her exit. "I wanted to let you know directly from me that it's true I won't be returning to The X Factor," she wrote. "Looking forward to an exciting year ahead and making great music and more! I'm grateful for the love you always give me."
Simon Cowell released his own statement Tuesday, saying, "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."
Tell us: Who should replace the departing host and judges?