Cheryl has a change of heart over Britain's Got Talent

Simon Cowell confirmed previous reports that The X Factor’s Fernandez-Versini was due to be part of the hit ITV talent show.

The variety series made its debut in 2007 with Good Morning Britain’s Piers Morgan and Wild At Heart actress Amanda Holden as judges instead.

Holden has sat on the judging panel ever since.

Cowell told the Radio Times: “Cheryl was supposed to be in Amanda’s place, but with days to go she backed out.”

He added: “We called ITV and they suggested two people - one was Amanda and the other was a girl on Corrie. Now I couldn’t imagine doing the show without Amanda.”

Britain’s Got Talent returns this Saturday, with its first episode set to battle it out against the finale of BBC rival The Voice UK.

TV mogul Cowell also revealed he had considered moving the Britain’s Got Talent judges over to X Factor.

“I think the four of us on the panel is about as good as we’re ever going to get,” he explained.

“We actually even considered transferring them all on to X Factor at one point, but their egos, if I ever suggested it, would be unbearable!”

More than 13 million viewers watched the 2015 finale of Britain’s Got Talent, which was won by Jules O’Dwyer and her dog Matisse.

They became the second dog act to win, following Ashleigh Butler and Pudsey in 2012 .