Simon Cowell Wants Mariah Carey For Us X Factor

Following the news that Steve Jones, Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul will all be leaving the US version of The X Factor, all eyes have turned to Simon Cowell and the TV talent show's fans are keen to see who he will bring in to replace the former judges and presenter. With The Voice having set the bar pretty high - they have Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green on their list of mentors - Cowell will have to draft in some impressive celebrities if he wants to avoid the ratings flop of last year.

Today, the Daily Mail has suggested that the media mogul wants to tempt Mariah Carey away from a cosy life at home with her new-born twins and into the TV studio, as an X Factor judge. According to the story today (February 1, 2012), Cowell is believed to have had Carey in mind for last year's show, but she wasn't able to take part, due to the birth of her twins. According to the report, it has also been suggested that Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry would also be suitable candidates for the judge's seat. With Nicki Minaj getting ready to perform at the Super Bowl this weekend, she is clearly considered amongst America's major pop stars and would no doubt be a lucrative choice for Cowell.

Meawhile, Simon Cowell has released a statement thanking last year's X Factor stars, Steve Jones, Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger for their work on the show. Cowell is known to be long-term friends with Abdul, especially, so there was a great deal of speculation over whether or not the sacking would affect their friendship. Paula Abdul responded to the inquisition by saying "I've learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations."