TOP DAWG RANDY JACKSON COMING BACK TO JUDGE IDOL

Checkmate...good move dawg, "X Factor" and former "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell is being cited as the source for reports that veteran "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson will return to the judges panel for Season 12 after all -- but how good of a source is the ex-judge?


Either way Simon Cowell spread the good news for "American Idol" fans who don't want to see the big dawg hit the road. Cowell tweeted that Randy Jackson will stick around the Fox talent show for another season.

"Just heard Randy is back on Idol," Cowell tweeted to his 3.6 million followers. "Right decision."

 Late last month, news broke that Jackson was expected to leave the judges' panel and move into a mentor-like role but now it appears he'll stay put in his chair. Deadline says that Fox went ahead and exercised the option it already had on Jackson, who has been on "Idol" since it debuted in 2002.

Fox, for now, is staying mum though it may make an official announcement about the panel later this week. Only Mariah Carey has been announced as a new judge.