Pixie Lott, Geri Halliwell and Natalie Imbruglia will also stand in for Dannii Minogue, who is due to give birth at July.

The four female singers will take part in the audition stages, which will be filmed throughout June.

The next series of the TV talent show will once again feature regular panellists Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Cheryl Cole.

The programme is due to begin later this year, with Dermot O’Leary as host.

(by Jason Gregory)