TV Watch

American Idol

Simon Cowell Not Mad at Jennifer Lopez

By Stephen M. Silverman

02/15/2011 at 02:10 PM EST

Don't expect any barbs to be exchanged, because – despite well-circulated reports from a London tabloid – Simon Cowell is not upset with Jennifer Lopez for signing on as a judge on American Idol instead of his new show, X Factor.

A source close to X Factor tells PEOPLE: "Jennifer really wanted to do X Factor, but Simon Cowell and the show's producers pulled out of negotiations out of respect for Fox [which airs Idol]."

RELATED: Simon Cowell Wants You to Audition for The X Factor

The source adds: "She wanted to do X Factor because it was a new show with a potentially younger audience, but she was independently also in talks with American Idol at the same time. When Simon found that out, X Factor immediately pulled out of the negotiations."



X Factor debuts this fall.

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