Primetime hit Castle is borrowing a daytime superstar for a very funny upcoming storyline. The Young and the Restless actress Lauralee Bell has been tapped to play a Paula Abdul-esque judge on a nightly dancing competition show.
The episode, which is set to waltz onto screens March 19, will find Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic) investigating the murder of one of the contestants on the fictional competition series A Night of Dance. The instalment will bow right after the season premiere of Dancing With the Stars.
“There’s … a Simon Cowell-type judge who’s the executive producer of the show and he clearly rules the roost,” Bell told TV Guide. “The third judge is totally Piers Morgan, only French.”
Bell assumes the role of ditzy Pam Francis. How close will Bell’s performance be to Abdul, who has previously grabbed headlines for her odd behaviour on American Idol and The X Factor?
“She has the huge Morgan Fairchild hair and the fuchsia-coloured sequined dress and the big fuchsia lips and the massive rhinestone necklace,” Bell says. “And she’s over-the-top clueless. At one point, the audience is booing one of her opinions and she thinks they’re calling out her name in admiration.” Gulp.
The veteran daytime actress isn’t worried about Abdul seeking her out in a dark parking lot, explaining that Castle is just having a little bit of fun. As she points out, “I’m sure Saturday Night Live and a few other shows got there first.”
Abdul’s name made headlines most recently when she and fellow X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger, along with host Steve Jones, were given the heave-ho by show boss Cowell, who is looking to rework Fox’s newest singing competition after mediocre ratings.
Speaking of The X Factor, Season 2’s auditions kick off March 1 in New Jersey and head across the U.S. through the beginning of May.
Castle airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on CTV/ABC.
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