We knew we were in for a reshuffle on the judging panel when the show returns to our screens later this year, but what we hadn’t anticipated was that Cheryl Fernandez-Versini might be stepping down from the show.
While Nick Grimshaw has already confirmed that he won’t be returning to the panel, and a question mark still hangs over Rita Ora’s ‘X Factor’ future, reports have claimed that Cheryl might not be back either, following what have been described as “crisis talks” with show boss Simon Cowell.
An insider tells The Mirror: “It’s a critical time and the talks will be a big factor in determining how the show looks this year.
This comes as rumours suggest that Simon is keen to bring back Louis Walsh to the panel, and may even draft in Sharon Osbourne as a judge, for a real blast from the past.
An insider tells The Sun: “The bosses think they made the show too young last year and having Nick Grimshaw, Rita and Cheryl on the panel was part of that.
However, we reckon Sharon coming back could be a tall order, given how vocal she was about not wanting to return to ‘X Factor’ following her brief return to the panel in 2013, where she mentored winning act Sam Bailey.
If Louis or Sharon do choose to return, they won’t be the only familiar faces on the new series, as host Dermot O’Leary is back to present, after a year-long “holiday” *ahem* which saw him briefly replaced by Olly Murs and Caroline Flack.