TV's Top Judges

When Paula Abdul announced that she would not be returning to American Idol, there was endless speculation about possible replacements. Even Victoria Beckham's named was mooted.

In the event, she only made a guest appearance on the show. The Spice Girl turned fashion designer agreed a "one off appearance", her publicist confirmed. Posh wants to focus on her fashion range so she only signed up for one stint.

Airing on ITV2 here in the UK, American Idol is hosted by entertainment powerhouse Ryan Seacrest. It remains the most popular show in the US, with around 26 million viewers tuning in to watch each episode. Fellow judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson will return for the ninth season but watch this space with regard to further possible guest panellists.

If anyone doubts how important a TV judge can be these days, one look at Cheryl Cole's impact on X Factor should be enough to convince. In our gallery, we profile some of the people passing judgement on everything from food to ice skating.