Turns out Steve Jones, Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger don’t have the X factor, at least according to Simon Cowell: the cutthroat X Factor showrunner has eliminated all three from Season 2 of the Fox singing competition.
Deadline reported the surprising news Monday night, explaining Cowell cleaned house after a somewhat mediocre debut season that garnered an average of around 12 million viewers per episode. The move leaves Cowell and record producer L.A. Reid as the only remaining cast members.
The writing was on the wall for host Jones in the first few weeks of live broadcasts. Critics and viewers complained he was hard to understand because of his English accent, was wooden in his delivery and just didn’t connect with the audience or competitors. He confirmed his exit Monday night via Twitter.
“I wont be hosting next seasons XFactor which is a shame but I can’t complain as I’ve had a great time,” his error-rife message read to followers. “Good luck to everyone on the show.”
Jones was brought in to helm the series after he showed chemistry with Scherzinger, who was originally slated to co-host the program. She moved to the judges’ table after Brit judge Cheryl Cole was given the boot during Season 1’s audition tour.
Abdul acknowledged the situation Tuesday afternoon when she released the following statement:
“Yes, it’s true; I won’t be returning to The X Factor next season. I’ve learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations. Simon and I, along with Fox and Fremantle, have been communicating about this for a while now, and I have absolute understanding of the situation. Simon is, and will remain a dear friend of mine and I’ve treasured my experience working this past season with my extended family at Fox and Fremantle. I want nothing more than for The X Factor to exceed ALL of their wildest dreams. This truly has been a blessing and I am most grateful.”
Cowell responded with his own proclamation to the media moments later:
"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. You do develop friendships with the people you work with and Paula, in particular, is a very close friend and I expect to be working with her on another project in the near future. 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."
Scherzinger was the last to react publicly, tweeting "I wanted to let you know directly from me that it's true I won't be returning to The X Factor."
Perhaps how the duo’s contestants did in the competition has something to do with their exit. Abdul’s groups were eliminated within the first weeks, relegating her to a cheerleader’s role on stage, while Cowell was vocal of Scherzinger’s work with her Over 30 group as the weeks went on.
Rumours are already swirling about who will replace the two ladies, and Mariah Carey is at the top of most discussions. Cowell made it no secret he wanted Carey to appear on The X Factor during Season 1 and she was gung-ho about it until her newborn twins got in the way. Other names being bandied about are Black Eyed Peas' Fergie and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham.
Meanwhile, Season 1 winner Melanie Amaro’s Pepsi commercial co-starring Elton John is ready to be broadcast during this Sunday’s Super Bowl; the Florida singer nabbed the TV ad as part of her win, which included a $5 million recording contract.
What do you think of Simon’s extreme measures? Comment below.
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