Paula Abdul joins Fox’ ‘X Factor,’ so does a number of unknown Brits

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Longtime “American Idol” colleagues Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul will be reunited as judges on the U.S. version of “The X Factor” on Fox.

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Updated: November 17, 2011 6:45PM

Right down to the wire, Simon Cowell kept everyone at “The X Factor” wondering about his final choices for both hosts and judges.

In the end, the reality talent kingpin “went with his gut and stuck with people he felt most comfortable about,” said a top “X” insider.

Though there is some concern among the U.S. staff about the strong British flavor of the show (with judge Cheryl Cole and co-host Steve Jones, virtually unknown on this side of the pond), “Simon is convinced their strong, delightful personalities will quickly win over the audience. … Besides, at this point, after watching Piers Morgan and Sharon Osbourne judging on other shows, I don’t think there’s an issue about English accents, like there’d have been a few years ago.”

† The worst-kept secret was the slating of a Cowell favorite, his ex-“American Idol” judging panel pal Paula Abdul, who was named to the fourth and final judge’s slot on “The X Factor.” She made her debut at Sunday auditions in L.A.

“Simon feels strongly that Paula, along with Cheryl, Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid and himself will make for a balanced yet very spirited judging panel,” said the source.

† However, there is some worry about the diva attitude already being demonstrated by Jones’ co-host, the Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger. When introduced to Corbin Bleu (of “High School Musical”) — who was first tapped to be her co-host for “The X Factor” — Scherzinger immediately dismissed him as looking “too young,” after Bleu had only said, “Hi, good to meet you.”

He never got a chance, so Cowell flew Jones in, Scherzinger immediately sensed, uh, good chemistry with the handsome ex-model, and he was signed.

BIEBER BITS: Despite strong protests from his production and technical team, Justin Bieber has forced the issue and will perform in Japan at the end of his world tour — ignoring worries about radiation issues caused by the tsunami.

The pop phenom had threatened to go it alone, if necessary — even performing in small venues if he didn’t have his usual crew to support him.

† To resolve pending criminal charges against his manager and a key record executive — stemming from a 2009 mall riot by Bieber fans in New York — the singer will do an anti-bullying PSA. Authorities blamed manager Scott Braun and Def Jam exec James Roppo for not telling fans that crowd management issues had led to the event being canceled.

† “I shouldn’t be saying this, but he was kind of a brat,” “CSI” star Marg Helgenberger said to a French radio interviewer, about Bieber’s two-episode role on her hit CBS drama. Helgenberger said the pop prince “was very nice to me,” but told of Bieber locking a producer in a closet and smashing a cake on the cast’s table.

CRASH CAPER: While soccer superstar David Beckham and his son, Brooklyn, were uninjured in that auto accident on a Los Angeles freeway early Friday, the unnamed man Beckham ran into — whose car had stalled in the car pool lane — was hospitalized, complaining of neck pain. Beckham’s team is worried the man will attempt to take advantage of Beckham’s fame and wealth, and seek big bucks.

WEDDING, YES — TV, NO: Kristin Cavallari is excitedly planning her spring 2012 wedding (that could be held here) to the Bears’ Jay Cutler, but the former star of “The Hills” is nixing talk she would co-star with Cutler in a TV reality show about their married life.

“It is not going to happen,” Cavallari told Holly scoop.com. “I would never put a relationship on TV again,” added the actress, stressing, “It just creates so many more problems.”

† That said, Cavallari is working on a new reality series — but she is only producing and will not be seen on camera.

DIVINE INSPIRATION: The Rev. Robert Barron, a well-known local theologian and author, has created and will host “Catholicism,” a multi-episode series set to premiere in October on WTTW-Channel 11, plus other PBS stations nationwide. The executive producer is local filmmaker, author and veteran “Today” correspondent Mike Leonard, who long has created unique and quirky television features.

Barron also recently served as the special Sun-Times correspondent in Rome for the beatification of Pope John Paul II.