American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi has admitted that she is behind the decision to hire Ellen DeGeneres as the show’s fourth judge.

“I’m a huge Ellen DeGeneres fan,” the songwriter admitted during an interview on Sirius XM’s The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick. “I think she’s going to bring so much to the show.”

“She’s somebody who loves music, she’s positive, she loves kids…She is somebody who has watched the show from the beginning, knows everything there is to know about American Idol and I think ultimately it’s going to be a great new energy.”

Kara is also thrilled that everyone won’t be talking about her relationship and supposed feud with Paula this year.

“Oh my god, thank you!!…Oh god!!” she replied when Flick asked about moving on from last year’s speculation.

“It was pretty hellish,” DioGuardi admitted..

“Yeah, I got slagged,” she said. “People were…it was difficult for them to accept the change. It was difficult for them to understand why somebody who nobody had ever heard of could kind of come out of nowhere and sit next to these iconic figures. You know, why was I there, what did I do to deserve to do to be there?”

“It will just be easier this year because I’m not as fearful as I was last year…For someone who’s never been on live television it’s very, very challenging to go from the back of the studio to the number one TV show, and that kind of visibility. And it was very, very, very scary.”

American Idol newbie Ellen DeGeneres, has expressed concern for outgoing judge Paula Abdul, saying that she hopes she is ok with her appointment.

Ellen was announced as the fourth judge on the show yesterday, while Paula was let go just last month.

“I’m gonna have fun with it. The one thing you know about me is I’m very honest. But I think you can be honest in a pretty kind way,” she told show presenter Ryan Seacrest on his radio programme.

“I hope to be that compassionate person, ’cause that’s the one thing Paula did bring – that compassion and that empathy.”

She added: “I hope Paula is okay with it. I don’t want anybody to think that I took Paula’s job away.

“First of all, I love music, period. I’ve always loved music. And I’m a huge fan of the show; I haven’t missed a show since season one. I’m just a fan like everyone else.

“The people are the ones who choose the American Idol. It doesn’t come down to a music expert ultimately.”

Simon Cowell has admitted that he loved working with Katy Perry, when she guested on American Idol recently.

“She’s a feisty little thing,” Cowell, 49, told US TV show Extra. “She’s quirky. Definitely got her own opinion.

“Solo artists are not used to people disagreeing with them. They are feisty and I like that.

“I don’t think she knew quite how right I was until she sat next to me.”

How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris is the latest celebrity addition to the American Idol panel.

Following in the footsteps of Victoria Beckham and Katy Perry, Harris will appear alongside regulars Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi at the auditions in Dallas.

I actually think that American Idol producers (and no doubt Mr Cowell) have been very clever with their latest move. They ditch Paula (even if they do eventually plan to reinstate her) and bring in some fresh celebrity faces. The move may even up their ratings, if fans of a certain star tune in to see them crush the dreams of some rubbish singers.

Joe Jonas, one third of pop sensation The Jonas Brothers has been confirmed as the next guest judge on American Idol.

Since Paula Abdul vacated her seat, her role has been filled by guest celebrity judges. So far Victoria Beckham has recorded audition episodes, with Mary J Blige and Katy Perry to follow.

Also rumoured to be joining the panel are Shania Twain, Kelly Clarkson and Jessica Simpson.

Kara DioGuardi has insisted that she was not drafted onto the American Idol panel last year to replace Paula Abdul.

“The way I’m understanding it is that it was her choice to leave,” she told show host Ryan Seacrest’s radio show. “I never was here to replace her. It would be impossible to replace Paula Abdul.

“She’s an incredible talent. She is somebody who helped make the show as big as it is. How could you ever replace that?”

DioGuardi added: “It’s such a loss for the show, such a loss for the contestants. She’s definitely the heart of the panel.”

Victoria Beckham has been lined up as a celebrity guest judge on the upcoming series of American Idol and she has admitted that she is looking forward to some British banter with Simon Cowell.

“He has a very tongue-in-cheek, British sense of humour, which I have, too,” she told host Ryan Seacrest’s radio show. “I’m looking forward to a bit of banter. I hope he does give me a little bit of a hard time. I love that. I feed off of that.”

She added: “I want to be nice to people. I know how it feels to stand there and be judged… I don’t want to shatter anybody’s dream, but at the same time there’s nothing wrong with constructive criticism.”

Sources are saying that Posh Spice is being considered as a judge for next years season of American Idol.

The rumour comes just a day after Paula Abdul announced her decision to quit the show.

A source told The Sun: “Paula’s absence leaves a big gap on the judging panel. At least 25 million viewers tune in every week.

“It needs a big star. Simon Cowell and Victoria have always got on. It would be an incredible coup to get Posh. She was in one of the biggest girl groups in history so she knows what she is talking about. Simon Fuller is now speaking to her.”

However Victoria’s agent has insisted that she will only be making ONE appearance as a guest judge and is not joining the panel full time.

There has been much speculation on which judges will be returning for this year’s American Idol, but reports have suggested that Kara DioGuardi WILL be back.

A show insider told Eonline:

“Her deal is done. There are no ifs, ands or buts,” a source said. “Done. She will be back.”

However the source added that Kara’s fee isn’t even close to what Simon and Randy have been promised, or even to what Paula is asking for. I bet it’s still enough to make her a pretty wealthy woman though!

Paula Abdul has denied rumours that she has received her new American Idol contract, insisting that she is still out in the cold.

Simon Cowell recently insisted that he wanted Paula back, however the former cat romancer revealed on her Twitter blog today:

“Hey guys, I have not made a deal with Idol. Don’t know how that rumour got started but it’s not true as I still haven’t heard from the producers.”

Anyone else thinking they may actually start watching the show now?