To help replace departing Paula Abdul, pop singers Katy Perry and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, plus other female artists, will hop on as guest judge in season 9 of American Idol, according to Fox television executives. However, Fox and the producers of the TV show said they are still searching for a permanent judge to sit in Abdul’s place, when season 9 returns in early 2010.
Fox appears to be firm in not doing any further talks with Paula, after she announced in Twitter this week that she will no longer return to the show after seven years when talks about securing a new contract with a big enough raise failed. ”We very much wanted her to return,” Peter Rice, chairman of entertainment at Fox said. “We made an offer that we feel was very fair. It was a substantial raise. It was not our choice. Our understanding is that we have concluded the negotiations and Paula has announced she is not coming back.”
On the other hand, Nigel Lythgoe, former Idol executive producer, said he is still hoping for a comeback. ”I still don’t know that she is going to leave ‘Idol’. Until ‘Idol’ goes on the air there are always opportunities for renegotiations.” Lythgoe said. He may meet with Paula this weekend about Paula joining So You Think You Can Dance, his own TV show on Fox.
On 9 August, auditions for Idol will begin and producers are in the talks of getting female pop stars to fill in as guest judge. First names to crop up were Katy Perry and Victoria Beckham. ”Between now and January (when the show airs) we will come up with a permanent solution on what we will do … Obviously there is going to be a different dynamic (and) there is something exciting about that,” said Rice.
