'Idol' boss: 'Abdul's job is safe'

An American Idol producer has denied claims that Paula Abdul is to leave the show, insisting that her job is safe.

Ken Warwick slammed rumours of Abdul's impending departure by describing the judge as an "integral part" of the programme.

"There's never ever been any discussion that we would want to get rid of Paula," he said. "Even if there were people in production that didn't like her.

"And Simon [Cowell]'s one of them. He waffles in and out, he likes her one minute, he loves her the next, he can't stand her the next. America loves Paula, she's an integral part of this programme and as far as I'm concerned I hope she's there 'til the day it comes off the air."

"She keeps Simon well in control and she's worth her weight in gold in that alone," he added.

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