While no one doubted the veracity of this morning's report - which detailed the ousting of Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones - the singer herself had not spoken out about the decision until now.
"I’ve learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often
times override personal considerations," Paula said in a statement. "Simon and I, along with Fox and [producers] 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 also chimed in on the move, releasing his own statement that reads:
"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... 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.”
