'The X Factor': Janet Jackson In Early Talks To Judge (REPORT)

Posted: 02/17/2012 9:57 am

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Reality TV , Video , Janet Jackson , L.A. Reid , Simon Cowell , TV Canada , Whitney Houston , Fox , Janet Jackson The x Factor , The x Factor , The x Factor Season 2 , TV News

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Janet Jackson is the latest pop music star rumored to be in talks to join "The X Factor." According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jackson has expressed interest in joining the show, but the talks are in the preliminary stages.

On an upcoming episode of Anderson Cooper's daytime talk show, Cooper asks Jackson if she is currently a part of "The X Factor" judging panel. The singer sidesteps the question, saying, "No, I am not. But that’s all I really think I should say."

After a so-so rated first season, the Fox singing competition dropped Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger as judges. The shake-up didn't end there, as Steve Jones was axed as host. L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell will return as judges as the search to fill out the rest of the panel continues.

According to reports, Whitney Houston was approached to be a judge/mentor just days before her sudden death.

Cowell told Piers Morgan that Houston was a name the producers were discussing. "We were ironically going to meet on Monday and of course, one of the names we were going to be talking about in that meeting as a possible mentor on the new series of 'X Factor' was going to be Whitney Houston," Cowell said.

"The X Factor" started off a tumultuous first season with Abdul signing on the dotted line at the last minute. Then, early in the audition rounds, UK pop singer Cheryl Cole was fired from the panel. Scherzinger, who was serving as co-host, filled her seat.

"Well, all I know is that I gave 110 percent to that show," Scherzinger said of her time on "The X Factor." "I know everybody's talking about it. They're saying good, bad, they love me or hate me, but the one thing you can't say is that I didn't give it my all."

Mike Darnell, president of alternative entertainment at Fox, told EW that new judges won't be the only changes. "There definitely will be lots of different changes in the show," he said.

Cowell is reportedly taking meetings with potential judges in late February as the show ramps up for Season 2 production. HuffPost TV compiled a wish list for who we'd like to see on the panel and as host. Click through the slideshow below to see our picks.