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American Idol Judges Are Announced
12:00pm Thursday September 23, 2010
Hannah Stott
Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler are joining Randy Jackson as American Idol judges after months of speculation about the future of the top-rated show.
Singers Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and musician Randy Jackson
Actress-singer-dancer Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Tyler will be replacing former judges Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, returning the panel to its original three-member format for series 10. Tyler said he wanted to join the show because he wants to be part of something as big as Idol. "I want to bring some rock to this rollercoaster and show if you've got the heart, the talent, the feeling to do this you could be the next American Idol," he said. Jennifer Lopez has reportedly been paid £7m to join the show and says she is "looking for the next Michael Jackson".
The new judges bond onstage at a press conference
Simon Cowell announced last January that he planned to leave American Idol to launch a new talent show for Fox in 2011, with newcomers Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi exiting this summer. Abdul left in 2009 over a contract dispute. Randy Jackson will be the only original judge when American Idol returns in January. The show's producers will be hoping the Lopez-Tyler pairing will help to stem a ratings slide and bring in younger viewers.
