LA Reid joins US X Factor
2012-02-06 19:08
Los Angeles - LA Reid has reportedly signed up to be a judge on the second series of US
X Factor. The music mogul is thought to have signed a contract on Friday to reprise his position on the panel following the exits of fellow judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, as well as host Steve Jones.
A source told The Hollywood Reporter that the Epic Records chief was the one judge that audiences seemed to embrace.
Beyoncé Knowles and Mariah Carey have both been talked about as possible new panelists on the Fox show, and boss Simon Cowell is believed to have offered the Single Ladies hitmaker $500m for five seasons on the programme as he aims to beat rival show
American Idol in the ratings battle.
Mariah CareyA source explained: "He wants a big name female star on the panel. Mariah [Carey] is good, but she's not that hot today. He wants Beyoncé because that would immediately give him the bounce needed to beat
American Idol."
Randy Jackson - who judges on
American Idol - believes Mariah, who he manages, would be an "amazing" addition to US X Factor.
He said: "She'd be amazing. I mean, I manage her, so of course I'm going to say that. She'd be amazing."