What’s even more dramatic than frontrunner Rachel Crow collapsing into sobs after a shocking elimination from The X Factor?
The shakeup that’s shaping up for season 2 of the Fox singing competition.
On the heels of the news that Steve Jones was leaving the show as host, judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger are reportedly out as well, according to EW.com.
Abdul had a tough time mentoring the groups, becoming the first judge without contestants on season 1. And Scherzinger faced serious backlash after Crow’s elimination.
With the women off the judges’ panel, record producer L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell, who is also the executive producer of the talent competition, are the only familiar faces that remain.
Speculation about a possible casting change began brewing in December, although Jones originally brushed off talk of his exit as “a fabrication.”
A week later, Cowell told PEOPLE he would be making some changes for the sophomore season. And so it appears he did.
A U.K. rep for Cowell could not comment on reports of the departures but said that “discussions and negotiations” are standard after a first season ends. “This happens after every show or series,” he added. “No decisions have been made that I am aware of.”
Story courtesy of Alison Schwartz of people.com
