First rumors spread that ‘The X Factor’ host Steve Jones would soon be out of a job. Then the tweet came in, he wrote: “I wont be hosting next seasons XFactor which is a shame but I cant complain as I’ve had a great time. Good luck to everyone on the show.”

Back in December 2011, news of Jones’ demise was a little premature, and his reps shot down the rumors immediately. But they surfaced again at the Television Critics Association press tour earlier in January 2012, when Kevin Reilly, head of Fox Entertainment, said, “Whether Steve’s the guy or not, it comes under the heading of growth in general, so there will be some tweaks to the show.” Reilly then added, “Hosting, as we know, it is a much harder job than meets the eye. I think everybody now has come to realize the value of Ryan Seacrest.”

Earlier on Monday, Jones’ now-former boss Simon Cowell was quoted in London’s Daily Mirror saying: “I don’t think he did a bad job but, like ‘America’s Got Talent,’ there is a Brit limit on the show.” A few hours later, Jones’ tweet made it official.

And now E! is reporting that Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul will not be returning as judges for the second season.

“She wants to focus on her music career,” their source said of Nicole. “She’s spoken to Simon [Cowell] and he’s given her his blessing … ‘X Factor’ took a lot more of her time than she ever expected. She didn’t have any time really to work on her music. She was doing ‘X Factor’ six days a week.”

Sources also confirmed to E! that judge Paula Abdul will also not be returning to “The X Factor,” leaving Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid as the only original members of the judging panel for Season 2. “She found out today,” a show source told E! Online.

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Simon Cowell looks like the cat who swallowed the canary as he enters the Fountain Studios to tape “The X Factor.”

I’d like to see Stacy London and Clinton Kelly from What Not To Wear get a hold of Simon Cowell. It’s time for a makeover. That t-shirt just looks wrong.

Bauer Griffin

Newly appointed American Idol judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez took their seats at the judges table for the first time as auditions began yesterday. The only original judge left, Randy Jackson, nabbed the coveted seat once held (for nine seasons) by Simon Cowell.

Nigel Lythgoe tweeted this picture from the set yesterday.

Tell me – are you going to watch American Idol?

Could Bret Michaels be the next to replace Simon Cowell on American Idol? The word on the street is that it is a possibility. Bret announced Friday night that he is in the running to be the next judge at the AI table.

Taking the stage in Biloxi, MS for a concert, Bret gushed, “”I can’t say this is true yet, cause I don’t know. Next year they asked me to possibly be the judge on American Idol,” TMZ reports.

I think it would be great. He has the experience. He is talented, talkative, likable, and funny. He would bring a breath of much needed fresh air to the show.

What do you think? Should Bret be the next AI judge?

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Simon Cowell’s last night on American Idol is tonight. He’s brutal honesty and sense of humor will be missed. He made the show the success that it is today. Here’s a look at some of his more memorable quotes:

“If your lifeguard duties were as good as your singing, a lot of people would be drowning.”

“Shave off your beard and wear a dress. You would be a great female impersonator.”

“The object of this competition is not to be mean to the losers, but to find a winner. The process makes you mean because you get frustrated.”

“It was almost like you were giving birth up there at the end.”

“You are a saucy little thing aren’t you?”

“If you’ve got a big mouth and you’re controversial, you’re going to get attention.”

“Frank (Sinatra) was the king of cool. If he was a lion, you were a mouse.”

“It’s like you want one scoop of ice cream and you got eleven. It was almost too much.”

“If you would be singing like this two thousand years ago, people would have stoned you.”

“You sounded like Cher after she’s been to the dentist.”

“What is a Free Willy?! What’s the film about? I’m confused because I can’t connect a whale called Willy and what you just did.”

“My advice would be if you want to pursue a career in the music business, don’t.”

“You sounded like Dolly Parton on helium.”

I will be looking forward to seeing the X-Factor with Simon on Fox. I am sure he will not disappoint.

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Paula Abdul is coming back to TV to judge on CBS’s Got To Dance! It has been a year since her departure from American Idol and I don’t know about you, but I have missed her. American Idol is just not the same without Paula and her craziness. So I am thrilled to here she is coming back to TV.

It had been rumored that Paula would join Simon Cowell on his upcoming show The X-Factor, but I guess she had other plans in mind. This show is going to feature all styles of dance and that is right where Paula shines. I can’t wait to tune in.

The final performance of American Idol hasn’t even aired, and Simon Cowell has already predicted a winner. Out of Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze, he thinks that Lee will take the title.

“If you’d asked me five or six weeks ago, 100 percent I would have said Crystal. But now I’ve changed my mind. I think Lee is going to win,” Cowell told fellow “Idol” judge Ellen DeGeneres in an interview on her talk show, airing on Tuesday.

I have to say I agree with Simon. Crystal just doesn’t seem to want it as bad and Lee does.

We will learn if Cowell’s prediction is correct on the Wednesday finale. This will also be Simon’s last day to be an American Idol judge. In 2011 he will be bringing the X Factor to Fox. His replacement has not yet been named.

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