Simon Cowell Sounds Off on X Factor Shakeup

A week after judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul and host Steve Jones were fired from The X Factor, executive producer and judge Simon Cowell is addressing the sudden shakeup. 

Why The X Factor bloodbath is good news — and hopefully just a starting point

"It was fairly straight what [the network] wanted, and we were told it had to happen straight away," Cowell said in an interview with Extra Tuesday regarding Fox's decision to get rid of the three regulars. He added that he wanted to keep Adbul, who was gracious upon receiving the bad news. "She understand it's business, it's never personal," he said.

"Paula was an interesting call," Fox's President of Alternative Entertainment Mike Darnell told Entertainment Weekly in a separate interview also posted Tuesday. "She and Simon are great friends, so it was just a dynamic conversation about what's the nature of the group going to be. And I think we decided to pull the Band-Aid off as quickly as possible."

Report: L.A. Reid signs contract for Season 2 of The X Factor

"Season 1 was basically an audition act," Darnell said. "Simon got one big new star out of it — L.A. Reid, and that was great casting. There's going to be a natural reassessment." Reid has already signed up to return for Season 2.

Scherzinger told Access Hollywoodon Tuesday that she has no hard feelings. "I had a wonderful experience on the show," she said. "Nothing could obviously prepare me for everything I had to go through, all the emotions and stuff... All I know is I gave 110 percent to that show." Cowell told Extra the former Pussycat Doll wasn't necessarily mad. "I think she's disappointed," he said.

As the producers prepare for the second season, rumors have already begun to fly about who should replace Abdul, Scherzinger and Jones. Cowell shot down reports that he had offered $100 million to Beyoncé to join the show. He also noted that Elton John and Mariah Carey aren't on the list of potential candidates, but Katy Perry would be "fun" and "feisty."

Who do you think she join The X Factor?