When news broke Randy Jackson would not be returning to American Idol it was as if the curse of Cowell and judges on the US show had claimed its final victim.

Not only was the music producer one of the originals, he was the only one who lasted season after season.

But last night media mogul Simon Cowell tweeted his delight that the long standing American Idol judge Randy would be returning for another series of the show, adding in the cryptic message that it was the ‘right decision.’

Simon words, to his ,more than 3million followers, sparked rumours that the 56-year-old bassist had been made a better deal to stay.

There were also talks that the show’s producers where planning on expanding the judging panel to four people.

Last season the panel featured Randy alongside Jennifer Lopez and Steve Tyler, however both J-Lo and Steve have both stood down.

Following Steve’s departure Jennifer spoke to Idol host Ryan Seacrest about her decision to do the same.

She said: ‘I honestly feel like the time has come that I have to get back to doing the other things that I do that I’ve put kind of on hold,’

‘I just don’t feel like I can be there every single day all the time like I have been for the past two years,’

So far only Mariah Carey has been confirmed to be joining the new look panel.

Currently Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban and Adam Lambert are in the frame. The usually talkative Nicki has remained tight-lipped on the topic when questioned.

She told E! news: ‘I don’t know yet. I really don’t know. I have no comment on it.’

It is thought that Mariah is not to keen on the prospect of Nicki joining, although producers are tickled by the idea of feuding judges.

The 12th season of the show is due to air in the Autumn, Randy has been a judge since it began in 2002.

Simon was a judge on American Idol from 2002 until 2010. He announced he was leaving in order to work on The X Factor USA.