“X-Factor” cleans house for season two

By Ryan Hester |Staff Writer|

The great “X Factor” shakeup represents the beginning of a drastic on-air repair.

Two judges of the show, Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, and host Steve Jones will not return for a second season on the Fox singing competition, according to Entertainment Weekly

The departures of Scherzinger and Jones were not surprising, considering viewers’ negative response to both of them.

But Abdul leaving the show was a shock, since she and Cowell have been friends for dating back to their time on “American Idol.”

“Paula is a very close friend and I expect to be working with her on another project in the near future,” said Cowell in a press release.

Scherzinger has undeniably made her mark on the show, but will be predominantly remembered for her dismal dismissal of show favorite Rachel Crow.

“She wants to focus on her music career,” a source close to Scherzinger said to The Huffington Post, “She’s spoken to Simon and he’s given her his blessing. ‘The X Factor’ took a lot more of her time than she ever expected.”

As rumors swirled on the Internet about her possible exit, Paula quickly confirmed her departure from the show.

“Yes, it’s true, I won’t be returning to ‘The X Factor’ next season,” said Abdul in a press release. “I’ve learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations. Simon and I, along with Fox, have been communicating about this for a while now, and I have absolute understanding of the situation.”

Steve Jones revealed through his Twitter account that he will not be returning for the next upcoming season either. His job as host of the show was routinely lambasted, with critics crying foul over his apparent uneasiness and almost robotic desire to keep the show on schedule.

“I won’t be hosting next seasons ‘X Factor’ which is a shame but I can’t complain as I’ve had a great time,” tweeted Jones.

Cowell seemed more than gracious for the departing personalities’ services during season one.

“I want to say a massive thank you to Paula, Nicole and Steve for being part of ‘The X Factor’ last year. We had a lot of fun making the show together and importantly, we found some real talent and stars,” said Cowell in a press release. “You do develop friendships with the people you work with 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.”

Although these three cuts may ultimately make the show better in the future, many people will miss the sensitive commentary and the feisty fights between Simon and Nicole.

The remaining judges, producer Simon Cowell and record producer L.A. Reid, will return for the next season, although it remains unclear who will fill the newly-created judging void.