Paula Abdul announces exit from 'X Factor'

Paula Abdul says she's leaving The X Factor after one season as a judge on Simon Cowell's singing contest. Abdul announced her exit on Tuesday, on the heels of the departures of X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones. That leaves Cowell and Antonio "L.A." Reid on the judging panel. There was no immediate word from producers on who might fill the open seats. Abdul said in a statement that she's learned that "business decisions often times override personal considerations" and that she and Cowell remain friends. Article continues below Despite respectable ratings, X Factor has failed to achieve popularity similar to American Idol, which Cowell left to import X Factor from the UK to the US.