Fox confirmed Sunday that Paula Abdul will serve as the fourth judge on The X Factor, joining Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid and Cheryl Cole on the singing competition series premiering this fall on the network.
Abdul was a judge alongside Cowell for eight seasons on American Idol, and he had expressed desire to bring her back as a judge for his U.S. version of X Factor.
"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 Cowell in a statement.
"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," added 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!"
Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones were announced Saturday as hosts of the series.
