The talent show mogul is hoping that if tempers flare more people will tune into the X Factor in the coming weeks.
According to the Sunday People, Simon hoped that Mel B would be more ‘scary’ and that tensions between her and Cheryl would drive people to watch the show.
Surprisingly for Simon, Cheryl and Mel have hit it off and have become ‘best friends’ since the former Spice Girl joined the judging panel.
An X Factor insider admitted: “Cheryl and Mel B surprised everyone with how well they got on.We expected a cat fight. It’s disappointing.
“They want to create friction between the girls. Simon is very keen. He wants them to be competitive.”
Simon counted on ‘battles’ between previous female judges to make headlines, such as Sharon Osborne’s feud with Dannii Minogue and Cheryl’s weekly frock-off with the Aussie star.