‘X Factor’ Shake-Up: Nicole Scherzinger, Steve Jones Out

Fox has confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that judge Nicole Scherzinger will be absent from X Factor‘s season 2 lineup.

The news arrived soon after official word came that X Factor season 1 host Steve Jones would not be returning to the Fox show. “I wont [sic] be hosting next seasons XFactor which is a shame but I cant complain as I’ve had a great time. Good luck to everyone on the show,” the 34-year-old Wales native tweeted. 

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According to an E! Online report, Scherzinger has chosen to leave so she can focus on a music career. Show creator Simon Cowell has reportedly given his blessing. 

In November 2011, Scherzinger told THR that the show was “taking up a lot more of time than anticipated.”

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Scherzinger’s debut album Killer Love has been marred by repeated delays, she said because “in addition to my duties as a judge, the mentoring is a full-time job. I want to make sure that when I put my album out, I have the time to devote to promoting it.” In the UK, it was seen as a resounding success, moving more than 140,000 copies. 

An Interscope Records rep tells THR that the label currently doesn’t have a release date for Scherzinger’s album. 

Twitter: @shirleyhalperin