Execs at Fox are certainly not shedding any tears over Paula Abdul’s sudden departure from American Idol.

Network chairman Peter Rice tells critics at the TV press tour this morning (August 6) that the former judge’s decision to leave the hit reality show is “very saddening to us,” and he calls the judge an “important part of the show” whose absence will cause a “different dynamic … but that’s also exciting.”

Producers plan to replace Paula with a fourth judge, joining Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi.

For now, the seven weeks of taped audition rounds in which the judges participate, beginning in Denver on tomorrow, will feature guest judges including Katy Perry and Victoria Beckham.

“Our intention is to have guest judges be female pop stars, female performers, female artists, and between now and January we will come up with a permanent solution on what we will do…and a replacement for Paula.”

Claiming that the network “very much wanted her to return,” Rice claims they offered her a “substantial raise,” rumoured to be 30%, and “Paula chose not to return.”

As for whether there could be a change of heart? “Our understanding is she’s concluded the negotiation and Paula will not be coming back.”