Singer Paula Abdul is breathing a sigh of relief after her American Idol contract was renewed for another three years. The TV talent contest judge reportedly came close to being fired from the show earlier this month (MAR06), when bosses at Fox complained about her erratic behaviour and poor punctuality. She was subsequently treated for exhaustion, but now insists she's thrilled at the chance to nag acid-tongued colleague Simon Cowell for the foreseeable future. Abdul says, "(The contestants) truly inspire and amaze me each week. "Of course, I also look forward to putting Simon in his place for years to come." Cowell and Fox reached a deal last November (05) that will keep the British music mogul on the show for at least five more seasons.