the x-factor

Simon Cowell's The X-Factor has been a huge in the UK for several years now; that's where we got Leona Lewis. Due to his contract with American Idol, he hasn't been able to bring it to the US. FOX feared the increased competition from a similar singing competition might hurt their juggernaut.

Now that Cowell is in the final year of his current contract, open negotiations to keep him on Idol are including talks of bringing The X-Factor to FOX. If So You Think You Can Dance continues to underperform in the fall, The X-Factor might be a logical replacement, pushing SYTYCD back to the summer.

The ongoing saga of the fate of one Ms. Paula Abdul continues. She is still without a contract for the new season of American Idol. Word has it it's a money thing -- who knew?!

Now someone has been talking around about her because executive producer Nigel Lythgoe has said that he would absolutely consider Abdul for a judging role on So You Think You Can Dance. As a successful choreographer and a known commodity, that would probably help the profile of that show tremendously as it moves to a fall season for the first time.

Another report has American Idol, and Simon Cowell himself approaching British pop star Cheryl Cole to consider replacing Abdul on the Idol dais. The rumor is that she turned down the position due to family commitments in England, but it does make one wonder. If this is all just tough negotiating for a new contract, everybody's playing hardball.