After spending eight seasons as a fixture on " American Idol [ tickets ]," Paula Abdul [ tickets ] has announced that she is leaving the television juggernaut after failing to come to terms with producers on a contract for next season.

"With sadness in my heart, I've decided not to return to 'Idol,'" Abdul wrote to followers of her Twitter feed earlier this week. "I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day one become an international phenomenon."

"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest, who recently signed a lucrative deal to remain with the program, reacted to the news of Abdul's departure by saying he was "stunned," Rolling Stone reported, while Randy Jackson--who, along with Abdul and Simon Cowell, has been a judge on the program since its debut--told Us Weekly he was "shocked."

Abdul's manager, David Sonenberg, foreshadowed Abdul's departure last month when he told the Los Angeles Times "it does not appear that she's going to be back on 'Idol,'" a prediction he credited, at the time, to lagging contract negotiations that he described as "unnecessarily hurtful" on the part of the shows producers.

"Paula Abdul has been an important part of the 'American Idol' family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show," producers said in a prepared statement. "While Paula will not be continuing with us, she's a tremendous talent and we wish her the best."

Edward Wyatt of The New York Times reported in his Arts Beat blog today (8/6) that producers plan to replace Abdul on the program.