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Paula Abdul Confirms X Factor Exit

And the housecleaning continues: Paula Abdul is leaving The X Factor.Shake-up at The X Factor: Steve Jones and Nicole Scherzinger out"Yes, it's true; I won't be returning to The X Factor next season," Abdul said in a statement Tuesday. "I've learned through my longevity in this industry that ...

joyce-eng.jpg
Joyce Eng

And the housecleaning continues: Paula Abdul is leaving The X Factor.

Shake-up at The X Factor: Steve Jones and Nicole Scherzinger out

"Yes, it's true; I won't be returning to The X Factor next season," Abdul said in a statement Tuesday. "I've learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations.  Simon [Cowell] and I, along with Fox and Fremantle, have been communicating about this for a while now, and I have absolute understanding of the situation. 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."Abdul's exit comes on the heels of host Steve Jones' and judge Nicole Scherzinger's departures, which were announced Monday, in what is turning out to be a massive overhaul for the Fox series. Only Cowell and L.A. Reid remain."I want to say a massive thank you to Paula, Nicole and Steve for being part of The X Factor last year," Cowell said in a statement. "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."Added Mike Darnell, Fox's president of alternative entertainment: "We love Paula. She is a remarkable talent and we appreciate all of her contributions. We're lucky that she is a part of the Fox family, and we look forward to working with her again soon."

Steve Jones weighs in on the ups and downs of hosting The X Factor

Cowell brought Abdul on board to The X Factor after admitting he missed working with her on American Idol, but Abdul did not sign her contract until the day auditions kicked off in Los Angeles. Abdul was also the first judge to see all of her final acts eliminated from the competition.It's yet to be determined who will fill the vacant slots for Season 2, which will premiere in the fall. What do you think of Paula's exit? Who do you want to see on the show?