Apparently Alicia Keys, Tinie Tempah, Gwen Stefani, Rod Stewart and Robbie Williams have been booked to guest judge The X Factor‘s upcoming auditions; while Geri Haliwell, Mel B, Alesha Dixon and The Saturdays’ Frankie Sandford and Rochelle Wiseman are being considered for the permanent position.
No replacement for Kelly Rowland has been found, with the delay being blamed on the assumption that Dannii Minogue would accept a £1 million offer to make a comeback. Funnily enough, after being shat on by Simon Cowell’s biographer, she’s reluctant to uproot her family to the other side of the world.
The Sun claims that the quintet of guest judges will work at the first round of filmed auditions, which begin as early as this Wednesday (May 23) in Liverpool before making their way around the country.
The Daily Star Sunday has also given the chaos considerable coverage, saying that Rihanna, Nicole Scherzinger (no shit) and Katy Perry have all said no.
A source says:
“At this rate the fourth judge may not be signed until much later in the series. Dannii turning them down was a massive blow because as far as ITV1 and The X Factor were concerned it was a done deal. The back-up plan is to have a host of guest performers take part in the regional auditions and possible Boot Camp before revealing a permanent name at the Judges’ Houses in August. Everyone involved knows how important the judges are to the success of the show… Numerous high-profile singers have come forward wanting the job. But bosses fear they aren’t big enough names to wow viewers. So it’s now panic stations to make sure they can sign up a big enough name in time.”
As long as it’s not Sinitta…
