Paula Abdul Not Quitting American Idol

Paula Abdul is staying with American Idol, in spite of rumours that she's planning to depart the world's biggest reality show.

Editorial Review

Paula Abdul is staying with American Idol, in spite of rumours that she's planning to depart the world's biggest reality show.

OK! magazine first reported that Abdul is looking to bow out of the series, with an unnamed source revealing that the former pop star "is developing new TV projects and is hoping to 'transition' out" of Idol.

"She knows that every season could be her last," the source said. "Now she's got a new secret venture that she's really excited about."

OK! speculated that American Idol producers may have added fourth judge Kara DioGaurdi to the panel in anticipation of Abdul's departure.

But Abdul's publicist Jeff Ballard fired back, telling the Los Angeles Times that the rumours are "absolutely untrue" and that Abdul isn't going anywhere. Representatives of American Idol's producers refused to confirm or deny the reports.

Abdul attempted to go solo in the 2007 fly-on-the-wall series Hey Paula, which was savaged by critics and cancelled after only one season.

American Idol returns to Australian screens in early 2009, airing on pay TV network FOX8."

Sam Downing, November 2008