Scheduling conflicts will keep Paula Abdul from appearing in the new Fox TV talent contest "So You Think You Can Dance," her publicist said Friday.
Abdul will be too busy promoting an "American Idol" DVD and working on the show's new season, publicist Ken Sunshine said in a statement. She had planned to appear as a guest choreographer in several episodes of "So You Think You Can Dance."
"We had not anticipated the time commitment required to successfully produce and appear" in the show, Sunshine said. "It became apparent that her prior commitments ... made it impossible to be part of this new show."
Fox Broadcasting and the show's producers issued a statement saying they "respect Paula's decision to step away."
"We wish her all the best and look forward to working with her soon," the statement read.
The series roughly follows the pattern of "American Idol," with dance contestants competing against each other for $100,000 and an apartment in New York for a year. Viewers will pick the winner.
Fox and the producers of "American Idol" recently announced they have hired an independent counsel to investigate a claim that Abdul had an affair with an "American Idol" contestant during the show's second season. Abdul has denied former contestant Corey Clark's allegation.