Considering Paula Abdul's exit as 'positive change', the executives are also hunting for a personality who can commit as the fourth permanent judge.
- August 7, 2009
AceShowbiz -
Paula Abdul's departure from "American Idol" is compensated with more guest judges in the ninth season. Victoria Adams aka Posh Spice, who is a close friend to Simon Cowell, is confirmed to make a one-off appearance, so is Katy Perry. These celebrity judges will fill in while FOX is searching for the fourth judge.
The executives at Fox Broadcasting announced on Thursday, August 6 that they will keep the four-judge format in the coming season. They are looking for a personality who will fit into Simon, Randy Jackson, and Kara DioGuardi. "What we need to find is someone who has great chemistry," chairman Peter Rice said. "It really is a casting job. Our job in the next four or five months is to consider what makes this the most fun, the most entertaining show."
They are hopeful to find a replacement of Paula by the beginning of 2010. "We have from now until January to introduce a different energy into the panel, and I think that we have to cast that in the right way," Rice added. However, should they fail to find any, then they will not force the idea to have four judges.
Victoria and Katy are not bound to do a permanent job on the show because of one factor. "There is no expectation and no thought right now that any of these judges will be a long-term judge for us," Rice explained. "All of the people we are talking to have successful careers. I don't even think they would be available."
