Kara DioGuardi

Kara DioGuardi

American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi only agreed to strip off onstage during the reality show's finale last week after producers agreed to give money to charity.

Talent show bosses wanted DioGuardi to peel down to a bikini during a duet with contestant Katrina 'Bikini Girl' Darrell - but she was terrified about posing semi-nude in front of a U.S. television audience of 29 million people.

But they reached a compromise when producers agreed to write out a cheque to the good cause of DioGuardi's choice. She says, "One of the producers had this idea. I was like, 'That wouldn't be too great. Me in a bikini onstage?'

"They had to bribe me by giving money to charity."

FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison