Paula Abdul has decided to quit the top-rated U.S. television show American Idol, ending weeks of speculation about her future as a judge on the popular singing contest. Making her announcement on Tuesday, Abdul said with sadness in my heart, she had decided not to return to Idol which is due to start auditions for its ninth season within days. She did not give any reason. Abdul, 47, a singer/dancer turned TV personality, has been a mainstay of the show since it was launched in 2002 and quickly became an audience juggernaut for News Corp's Fox network, growing into an estimated $1 billion-plus brand. I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon, said Abdul, who was known for finding something positive in almost every performance. Fox and the show's producers Fremantle said they were saddened that Abdul would not be returning to the show as she had been an important part of the 'American Idol' family over the last eight seasons.
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