‘I think she's brilliant... she's actually quite a naughty girl!' Sharon Osbourne defends 'boring' Nicole Scherzinger as she returns to the X Factor for judges' houses
By JOEL COOPER
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She’s made no secret over the years that she’d love to make a return to one of the most popular TV talent shows of all time.
And this weekend, X Factor viewers will be treated to Sharon Osbourne returning to The X Factor – once again appearing as Louis Walsh’s guest mentor during the judges' houses stage of the competition.
Sharon, 59, made a one-off appearance in Las Vegas to help Louis narrow down his seven possible groups to just three ahead of the live shows.
Old pals: Louis was joined by Sharon Osbourne in Las Vegas to select his final three acts for the live shows next month in London
Waiter service: Sharon and Louis were served colourful cocktails by a shirtless butler on the rooftop
The groups: Mitsotu, Duke, MK1, Poisonous Twin, GMD3, Times Red and Union J hang out in Las Vegas
Having once again been given the groups category to mentor in this year’s competition, Louis wanted pal Sharon on-hand to help whittle down the finalists.
Meanwhile, never one to bite her tongue, Sharon has also waded in to defend former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and her position as a judge on the TV talent show after some viewers dubbed her ‘boring’.
Sharon told The Sun: ‘She was my find! I had her as a guest judge on X Factor a few years ago. I spotted her!’
Boring? Sharon (right) has defended Nicole (left), seen here crying at boot camp after Ella Henderson's performance
She added: ‘I think she's brilliant. She's actually quite a naughty girl… She's beautiful, funny. She was up dancing at the auditions already, so she'll be great fun.’
The final groups who will battle it out in Las Vegas are Mitsotu, Duke, MK1, Poisonous Twin, GMD3, Times Red and Union J.
Louis was permitted to take through seven groups to the judges' houses round of the competition after one member of boy band Rough Copy couldn’t get a visa in time for the taping.
GMD3: The young boy band - Greg, Micky and Dan, performed for Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne
Duos: Poisonous Twin (left) and MK1 (right) battled it out in front of Sharon and Louis
Instead Louis brought back Times Red and the band Union J was formed after soloist George Shelley joined Triple J to create the final line-up.
Each judge will take three final acts into the live shows which begin on October 6.
Sharon replaces eighties singer Sinitta, who teamed up with Louis at judges' houses last year following the departure of her former partner Simon Cowell from the UK judging panel.
So Macho singer Sinitta has regularly assisted in Simon's creative decisions at judges' houses each year - infamously wearing a revealing palm leaf outfit in 2009.
Is it One Direction? George Shelley (second from left) was added to boy band Triple J, creating the new and improved Union J
Trios: Duke and Mitsotu sing their hearts out for the judges approval with the Las Vegas skyline behind them
Come back kids: Times Red were invited back onto the show after initially being axed by the four judges at boot camp
It will not be the first time that Sharon has appeared at judges' houses – in 2010 she helped Louis at his house in Adare, County Limerick, Ireland.
In the seventh series of the show she helped Louis pick the notorious Wagner Fiuza-Carrilho and popular Tesco worker Mary Byrne to advance into the live shows.
Las Vegas is the furthest away 60-year-old Louis has ever travelled to host a judges' houses round, usually being sent to either Spain or his home country of Ireland.
Replaced: Despite Sinitta's madcap antics at judges' houses, including her 2009 palm leaf bikini, she has been replaced by Mrs O
Meanwhile Tulisa Contostavlos will be taking the girls category to tropical St Lucia where she will be assisted by 23-year-old rapper Tinie Tempah.
Tulisa's category includes show-stopping 16-year-old Ella Henderson who wowed the judges with her first audition and even brought legendary singer Cher to tears when she covered the diva's 1998 hit Believe at boot camp.
Nicole Scherzinger will be taking Dubai by storm when she and US singer-songwriter Ne-Yo evaluate the boys category ahead of the live shows.
Dream team: Gary Barlow and Cheryl Cole tested the over 28s at judges' houses in Northamptonshire
Girl time: Tulisa and Tinie Tempah whittled down the girls category in St Lucia
Essex boy Rylan Clarke firmly divided opinion with his performance of the Pussycat Dolls hit Don't Cha at boot camp but was taken through to judges' houses to be scrutunised by Nicole.
Take That star Gary Barlow pulled off perhaps the biggest coup of all - securing former judge Cheryl Cole as his second-in-command.
Due to the sad passing of Gary's unborn child at the time of filming, Gary's judges' houses location was altered so that he could be near his wife during their difficult time.
Top contenders: Ella Henderson and Carolynne Poole are ones to watch at judges' houses
Essex boy: Rylan Clarke will try to win over Nicole Scherzinger and Ne-Yo at judges' houses
So 41-year-old Gary took the over 28s category to a rural manor house near his own home in Northamptonshire.
His category features returning contestant Carolynne Poole who failed to make it past Louis Walsh at last year's judges' houses.
Carolynne impressed judges with her rendition of Emeli Sande's Clown in her first audition and has since sailed through to judges' houses.
Walsh: Louis needs help to whittle down his final three groups for the live finals next month
Judges: Louis Walsh, Tulisa Contostavlos, Gary Barlow and Nicole Scherzinger make up this year's X Factor panel
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2208875/Sharon-Osbourne-defends-boring-Nicole-Scherzinger-returns-X-Factor-judge-s-houses.html#ixzz27bhrjimi
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