Paula Abdul will not be returning to judge ‘American Idol’ for the show’s ninth season. She announced her decision via her Twitter account Tuesday evening with the following tweet. “With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to Idol. I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon.”
According to an AP release late last night, Fox has confirmed Abdul’s decision.
Original judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson will return, along with Kara DioGuardi, the songwriter who judged the show last season. The San Francisco Chronicle cites new reports claiming that Abdul’s contract negotiations stalled because she demanded $20 million, $10 million more than bosses were willing to pay. Ryan Seacrest, the show’s host, just signed a deal promising $45 million over the next three seasons, and Cowell is currently in contract negotiations that could end with $45 million in annual pay, according to the Chicago Tribune .
What’s next for Ms. Abdul? The former choreographer may find a seat at the judges’ table on another Fox competition show, “So You Think You Can Dance.” Executive producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe told the Daily News Tuesday, “We would certainly consider [Abdul as] a guest judge. Without question.”