Simon Cowell is remaining tight-lipped regarding the new line-up for The X Factor USA. In a teleconference on Wednesday (22, 2,2012), Cowell told reporters that two women will be selected as judges, but has not revealed who those two women are likely to be. Last season's judges, Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul were both shown the door, after disappointing viewer ratings - as was the host, Steve Jones.
Some of the names linked to the roles so far have been Janet Jackson, Britney Spears and Fergie from Black Eyed Peas. Referring to the rumors, Cowell said "There's been a load of speculation, some true, some not true." According to Huffington Post, Cowell waited to see who showed an interest in the posts, before actively searching for someone. La Reid also confirmed that Whitney Houston had been considered as a potential judge for the show but she had not been contacted before she passed away suddenly on February 11, 2012. The show's producers will be holding meetings with prospective candidates over the coming weeks, to ensure that they fully understand the time commitments involved in being an X Factor judge.
Cowell is also on the hunt for a few host, following Steve Jones' departure and he's confirmed that this time, he will choose someone American, rather than a British host. In fact, he suggested that he would prefer to have two hosts for the show. Again, no names were mentioned but he did suggest that it may be someone that is new to TV show hosting,