If Simon Cowell gets his way, Paula Abdul will return as a judge for American Idol's ninth season.

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"She'll be fine. She'll be on the show," Cowell told Extra in a Monday report. "I don't get a lot of say. I've just made it clear that I want Paula on the show."

The three-year contract Abdul signed with Fox in March 2006 expired at the conclusion of Idol's eighth season this past spring, and while Cowell previously guaranteed that all four of the show's judges will be back, Abdul is still without a new deal.

Earlier this month, Abdul said she had been invited to continue serving as an American Idol judge until the show goes off the air, pending an agreement on a new contract.

However no contract proposals have followed the invitation, according to David Sonenberg, Abdul's new manager.

"Very sadly, it does not appear that she's going to be back on Idol," Sonenberg told The Los Angeles Times in a Friday report.

"She's not a happy camper as a result of what's going on. She's hurt. She's angry," he added.  "I find it under these circumstances particularly unusual; I think unnecessarily hurtful."

"I find it kind of unconscionable and certainly rude and disrespectful that they haven't stepped up and said what they want to do."

Fremantle, 19 and Fox all declined to comment on Sonenberg's statements.

Idol host Ryan Seacrest also echoed Cowell's desire to have Abdul back for the show's ninth season.

"I think as far as I know, you'll see everybody back. I hope so," Seacrest told Extra.


About The Author: Christopher Rocchio
Christopher Rocchio is an entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and has covered the reality TV genre for several years.