X Factor Shake Up! Are Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones Getting the Boot?

Rumors are circulating that the judge and host might not come back for season two

By Tierney Bricker Dec 20, 2011 6:52 PMTags

Who needs an actual competition on The X Factor when all the drama you want is waiting behind the scenes?

After an emotional elimination that left  Nicole Scherzinger in hysterical tears, fans started wondering if the judge was cut out for this gig. And today, there are rumors circulating that host Steve Jones might be getting shipped back to Wales and a new host will be brought on in season two.

So will Scherzinger and Jones be returning for season two or are the exit rumors true?

At a press conference for The X Factor finale, we asked Scherzinger if she's had any fun this season despite the difficult eliminations, including 14-year-old Drew Ryniewic, whose fans sent Scherzinger hateful messages and death threats, and 13-year-old Rachel Crow.

 "I've had a lot fun this season," she says. "The reason that I took this job on was I wanted to mentor, first and foremost. The elimination process has been really hard. It's something I could have never prepared for. I've been there before. I know exactly what they're going through. It's been very emotional. "

Asked if she would like to return for season two, Scherzinger used her Pussycat Dolls training and danced around the issue, focusing on her contestant Josh Krajcik instead.

"For me what's important is to live in the moment. I need to get Josh coming out swinging and feeling amazing this week and to make sure I finish my job," she says. "For me, I've put my heart and my soul and passion—I put a thousand percent into this year. So, I'm just going to focus on making sure I do a really good job with Josh here this week and only God knows what will happen next year."

And what about the rumors that Jones will not be returning for season two? They're just that, rumors!

"The Mirror story is a fabrication that we would have corrected had we been called for comment," a rep for Jones tells us. "There have been absolutely no conversations about Steve Jones leaving The X Factor. Steve is very happy with the outcome of this season and he looks forward to being back and discovering more talent in the New Year."

Speaking of the New Year, that's when Schzeringer and Jones' X Factor fate will be decided, with a spokesperson for the show telling us, "Absolutely no discussions have been had and no decisions will be made about any contracts until the New Year."

While no decisions has been made, it looks like one of Scherzinger's decisions might come back to haunt her. When asked if the show would be changed its format and just have America's vote decide which contestant is eliminated, Simon Cowell said the X Factor judges will continue to have final say. Cowell says he believes that system works...most of the time.

"If that week had worked in the way I believed the process should have worked, whereas Rachel was in the bottom, the judges actually could have saved her," Cowell says. "The fact it went to deadlock means that week the process didn't work. But if everyone had done their job properly that week, then this format would have worked really well."

Yeah, so he basically just said Scherzinger didn't do her job properly. Ouch!

To hear more from the judges and the X Factor's finale three contestants, watch our videos above! Then make sure to head to the comments to tell us if you'd like to see Scherzinger and Jones return to the show next year! Plus, who do you think is going to win it all?

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