Put down the leaf bikini, Sinitta will not be joining Simon Cowell at this year’s X Factor Judges’ Houses, RadioTimes.com can exclusively reveal.

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Instead, Cowell will be accompanied by One Direction band member Louis Tomlinson as he chooses his Overs finalists in France this year.

“Simon and Sinitta haven’t fallen out,” a source told me. “They’re just trying something different this year.”

While I suggested Simon could have more than one guest judge – after all, Louis Walsh has been known to have as many as three in the past (including Sinitta herself) – it’s not going to happen.

“As part of it’s live, it’s a case of timings. We’re only going to see the contestants’ performances on location, as the decisions are being made back at Wembley. So there’s not time for all of those different critiques.”

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Barely a series has gone by without the So Macho singer present. Even when Cowell wasn’t a judge on the panel she joined Mr Walsh on location. And it seemed as though Sinitta was a dead cert this year, too. At the series launch, Cowell was asked if he would be inviting her and he grinned: “How can I not?”

Sinitta herself may of course actually just be busy. But you can see the appeal of bringing in a One Direction lad – that’s appointment-to-view telly for the hoards of 1D fans, who could help boost ratings. Especially if he ‘does a Robbie’ and brings out his own version of that leaf bikini.

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The X Factor continues Sunday at 7pm on ITV

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