Mel B set to spice up X Factor Judges' Houses

The former Spice Girl was back on the show last weekend, filling in for an absent Nicole Scherzinger for the first day of auditions in London.

And now the boss appears to have turned to Scary Spice once again for some help picking his finalists in LA – with Cowell this year mentoring the Girls.

While X Factor won't officially confirm the choice, insiders suggest it's "highly likely".

It means no Sinitta again (and no leaf bikini – boo!) and it also puts to bed rumours that it was going to be Cheryl joining Simon, although insiders have since suggested this idea was never really on the table.

We're bound to get some straight talking from Mel, who even on her recent visit to the show couldn't help but make a sarcastic dig at production for bringing her in on such a "special day", which included – but wasn't limited to – a guy singing with a glittery finger cover.

As long as no-one sings a crap version of Wannabe, eh?

Elsewhere, Robbie Williams has joined Sharon Osbourne and the Overs in LA, Alesha Dixon and Fleur East sat alongside Louis Walsh in Ibiza for the Groups and Calvin Harris buddied up with Boys mentor Nicole Scherzinger in the South of France.

The X Factor continues this Saturday at 8:00pm and Sunday at 7:30pm