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Paula Abdul tapped to headline 'Star Search' reboot

March 17, 2010

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Paula Abdul is set to headline an updated version of Star Search for ABC.

The 47-year-old former American Idol judge will reportedly host and judge the competition beginning in the summer, according to EW’s Michael Ausiello.

No word yet on whether Star Search would interfere with fellow judge Simon Cowell’s US version of The X Factor, which is set to debut in fall of 2011.

Star Search premiered in 1983 with host Ed McMahon and was briefly brought back to the airwaves in 2003 with Arsenio Hall.

“This just in: Paula Abdul is straight up headed back to TV! Sources confirm to me exclusively that the ex-American Idol judge is finalizing a deal to headline an updated version of Star Search, the great-granddaddy of all televised singing competitions, for ABC. Abdul’s role is still being defined, but I hear it will likely include some combination of hosting and judging. An ABC rep refused to comment,” Michael Ausiello of The Ausiello Files has learned.

“The Alphabet network had been wooing Abdul since last summer when she officially announced her departure from Idol. There was talk of her joining Dancing With the Stars in some capacity, but a deal never came to fruition. It’s not clear if Abdul’s Star Search gig would preclude her from joining former colleague Simon Cowell as a judge on the forthcoming US version of his UK monster hit, The X Factor, which is slated to debut on Fox in the fall of 2011. (Star Search is being targeted for this summer.)” the report goes on to say.