Simon Cowell wants Cheryl Tweedy to return to 'The X Factor' judging panel next year.

Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell

The 58-year-old show boss asked the former Girls Aloud singer to accompany him at Judges' Houses, which will air on screens this weekend, this year after she left the show last year in order to focus on her solo career, but it looks like he's keen to persuade her to rejoin the programme on a permanent basis for the series in 2018.

Asked by The Daily Star newspaper whether Simon would have her back on the panel, he said: "We'll consider it. Let's wait till the end of the show... maybe [current judges Nicole Scherzinger and Sharon Osbourne] don't want come back [next year and there will be a space on the panel]. Let's see what happens, I wouldn't rule anything out."

And, although the 34-year-old beauty hasn't ruled out the possibility of a return, the 'Call My Name' singer wants to spend some more time with her seven-month-old son Bear.

She explained: "I want to be with Bear a little bit longer. It has just been me and him and I'm just loving being a mother at the moment.

"I've got time - I've got that luxury lifestyle and some mothers don't have that luxury and have to get back to work. I'm just taking it as I can but I do love the show."

However, it looks like Simon may have burnt his bridges with his close friend Sinitta - who is usually him special guest at Judges' Houses - because she was convinced that she would be joining the music mogul at his home abroad this year and was left red-faced when she found out that she'd been dropped - again - in favour of Cheryl.

After seeing a tweet about Cheryl's part-time gig, Sinitta, 54, wrote: "Yes! Ok!! Got It!! Why dont you add #NurNurNurNurNur! Stick it Up your Nose! Stop telling me 1000 times .Stupid Bad Mannered Boring Annoying (sic)."