Spice Girl Mel, 38, is apparently ‘on the verge’ of signing a £1 million contract to secure her spot as the fourth judge.
A source told a UK newspaper: “It’s pretty much a done deal. And Simon thinks Mel will be perfect for the show.
“Final details such as she expenses budget and filming dates need to be agreed. Other than that, she’s ready to go.”
Simon, 54, is determined to get the show back to it’s best, which is why he is spending so much on the judges. To bring 30-year-old Cheryl back reportedly cost the show £1.5 million.
It is believed that by signing Mel up, Simon has gone way over the budget for this year’s show. Bosses reportedly told him to spend less than £900,000 on the fourth judge.
The source added: “He’s been in discussions with lots of potential judges but believes Mel is by far the best choice. She’s like the female version of him, opinionated, confident, ruthless and competitive.
“People will either love her or love to hate her.”
Mel was previously a guest judge on the show and didn’t hold back when it came to giving criticism during the auditions.
“During her short time as a judge, Mel was ruthless,” the source said. “Simon wants someone who will get people talking.
“Cheryl may be the nation’s sweetheart but she is a bit too careful about what she says. Mel won’t care, so she’s perfect.”
Watch the clip of Mel as a judge on the show before and let us know if you think she is right for the job.