If you thought Heidi Klum joining America’s Got Talent as a judge was odd, this might just put you over the edge. Clearly, Simon Cowell is going with a different approach as a possible replacement for the departing Britney Spears. You can’t get more out-of-the-box than this. The 53-year-old Brit is very interested with this actress who was once a teen queen on the small screen and on the silver one. Find out who might be joining Demi Lovato and Cowell on The X Factor judging panel below.

find out who after the jump

Back in February, there were rumblings that Khloe Kardashian wasn’t coming back for the third season of The X Factor. FOX just released a statement officially announcing the 28-year-old reality star’s departure from the singing competition.

“Khloe Kardashian will not be returning to co-host The X Factor,” the show’s producers said in a statement. “We really enjoyed working with her and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”

Staying on board though is Mario Lopez. No word if another personality will join him to co-host Season 3, but most likely he’ll do it solo. Having two hosts was completely unnecessary, IMHO. That said, I didn’t completely hate Khloe in that role. Her wardrobe malfunctions, awkward hosting skills and even more awkward on-air flirtations with Simon Cowell were somewhat entertaining to watch.

“I’m thrilled Mario is back for Season Three of The X Factor,” said Cowell in a statement. “Hosting a live show and keeping the judges – especially Demi – in line, is not an easy job, but Mario is a pro and we are glad he’s coming back.”

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Will you miss her? Do you think Mario can do the gig all by himself? I hope they don’t bring Lopez until the live performances. I actually quite enjoyed the audition process and boot camp portions without a host. It had that Hills-like quality about it. Don’t you agree? Sound off below.

Related Stories:
• Who’s Reportedly Joining Simon & Demi On The X Factor Panel?
• Emblem3 Debut First Single
• Demi Lovato Officially Coming Back To X Factor

Compared to last year, it’s been relatively quiet on The X Factor casting front. Before Britney Spears and Demi Lovato officially came on board, practically every pop star’s name was mentioned as a possible replacement for Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul. This year, with exception to Cheryl Cole, there really hasn’t been anyone I can recall as a rumored potential judge.

With so many singing competitions on the air, not to mention in the UK and Australia, the pool of interested musicians wanting to judge is very limited. Maybe that explains this potential rumor. That, or musicians might think the FOX show is a sinking ship and don’t want any part of it. Find out who’s reportedly in the mix below.

find out who after the jump

Next to Fifth Harmony, Emblem3 was the other act I was rooting for on the second season of The X Factor. Sure Drew Chadwick aka the broad shouldered one was beyond douchey with his assortment of tank tops and gratuitous flexing, but there was something appealing about the three of them. Keaton Stromberg’s Tourette’s-looking dance moves were adorable and older bro Wesley was just cute period. Given their appeal to the tween demo, not surprisingly Simon Cowell signed them immediately. The Brit knows he has a cash cow when he sees one.

The Huntington Beach trio debuted their first single during On-Air with Ryan Seacrest. “Chloe (You’re The One That I Want)” is exactly what you’d expect from them. It’s poppy fun and in the vein of Blink 182, LFO, Sum 41 and all those other trio boybands from the early 2000s. The track tells a tale of a girl named Chloe with a really hot sister, but it’s Chloe they pine after and not the one everyone wants. Take a listen below.

listen to the track after the jump

One down, only two more to go. FOX made it official today. Demi Lovato will return to the judging panel for the third season of The X Factor. Hopefully, she’ll have better luck this year than last. The “Heart Attack” singer fared better than Paula Abdul from Season 1, but Demi was without an act for the last couple of weeks of competition. CeCe Frey, her last contestant, placed sixth overall.

It shouldn’t come too much of a surprise she’s returning, since the 20-year-old publicly expressed interest she’d like to come back. With both Britney Spears and LA Reid out, I couldn’t see FOX and Simon Cowell bringing in three brand new judges.

“I couldn’t be happier that Demi wants to come back this year,” said Cowell in a statement. “She’s a superstar in her own right and was a fantastic mentor last year. Even though she can be really, really annoying – I truly enjoyed working with her and so did the artists. I’m especially pleased she’s back even during her world tour!”

Speaking of Cowell, his chemistry with Lovato was one of the best things about Season 2. That being said, their banter became a little juvenile as the season progressed. Hopefully, their relationship will mature a bit but still keep a playful edge. Don’t you agree?

Demi’s statement after the jump

Harmonizers rejoice!!! We have another wicked cover from our favorite act from The X Factor. Last time, the ladies did Frank Ocean proud on his track, “Thinkin’ About You.” This time around, they slay it on Lana Del Rey’s “American.” Damn you girls for making me like a Del Rey song. That’s how much I love 5H.

Props to Lauren Jauregui for suggesting to her group members that they tackle “American.” The girls give it a melodic twist and elevates the Lana track to a whole new level. Individually and collectively, their voices are improving drastically. By the time their debut album hits shelves later this year, their harmonies are going to be beyond tight. Simon Cowell might actually get his “One Direction” from the US version of X Factor after all. As any true Harmonizer knows… anything could happen ;) Check out their cover below.

watch the cover after the jump

By now I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors that Britney Spears is getting the boot from The X Factor. Reportedly, Simon Cowell is a little peeved he got “boring Britney” instead of “crazy Britney.” An insider also reports that the “Toxic” singer didn’t earn her $15 million salary. All they got were a sprinkling of “amazings” and a series of half-claps. DUH, what were they expecting? LOL.

I’m sure Cowell is breathing a sigh of relief that Spears didn’t sign on for two years. Supposedly, that was the point of contention during negotiations last year. Simon wanted her for two, but Britney only wanted one. Cowell certainly dodged a bullet there. The Brit judge definitely doesn’t want another lawsuit like the one filed by fired judge Cheryl Cole. She reportedly was given a pay or play contract for two seasons.

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The BIG night has finally arrived. Since I have to head out the second The X Factor reveals the results, I’m going to write my recap as it happens live. It’s real-time blogging ya’ll. Carly Rose is probably going to win this thing, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Fifth Harmony pulls an upset. Like they sang, “Anything Could Happen.” Without further delay, let’s get the ball rolling.

The action kicks off with Mario Lopez and Khloe Kardashian on the red carpet. Side note: Khloe’s green lace dress is really pretty. All of a sudden, the judges start arriving via SUVs. As they get out of their ride, either Khloe or Mario interview them. Note to Simon Cowell, this isn’t the Golden Globes or the Academy Awards. This is kinda ridiculous. Even Lopez feels like a glorified valet. Speaking of Cowell, Khloe continues her streak of shamelessly flirting with him. Commenting how she loves his hairy chest. LOL. Demi looks pretty in her metallic mini.

check out the action as it happens after the jump