February 9, 2011, 1:54 pm

Is Paula Abdul the X-Factor?

The judging panel for the Simon Cowell’s upcoming X-Factor U.S. series has yet to be determined, but Simon suggests that Paula Abdul is in the running.

Simon Cowell said on Monday that he is a “massive fan” of Paula, but is still deciding on who should be at the judging table, hinting that Paula may be on the short list. Makes sense, since she has the experience and he knows how he gets a long with her already.

We fans, unfortunately, have to wait to find out, as Simon isn’t announcing who made the judges table until several weeks from now. The X Factor is set to debut next fall on Fox.

As we reported earlier, The winner of “X Factor” will get a $5 million record deal, which Cowell said won’t be a “dressed up” sum: The top contestant will get $1 million a year for five years, separate from the costs involved in recording and promotion.

“It’s a massive, massive risk but it’s also an incredible incentive. It puts everybody, rightly, under an enormous amount of pressure,” Cowell said, adding, “I believe I can find a star.”