I do feel this will be the only certain change next year

Something needs to change to make it a panel with some form of life... Its so dull - the only one with a sparkle of life is Louis, and we've seen his act for the past 9 years now

Mel B is currently a judge on X Factor Australia, and if she`s also signed up for next year it obviously couldn`t happen. But i do agree something needs to change next year. I`m wondering if Cheryl Cole might return.

I think it's more likely Cheryl will return and her guest spot with Gary was the door opening.

Nicole is definitely only keeping the seat warm for someone else imo. Cowell couldn't get anyone he wanted in time and he owed Nicole for dumping her from the US show.

I hope Mel B and Dannii replace Nicole and the chav.

I think Cheryl will be back.

We have two and a half months of live shows this year to get through - nothing will be decided on 2013 for several months yet.

If the panel works out on the live shows - when it really matters ratings wise - they may well all stay. Because its only when they start that the audience really gets engaged - because they start having a say (well sort of!)

It wouldn't surprise me to be honest, I'm sure she'd rather have UK than Australia although they seem desperate to keep her as she had the girls last year and the boys this year, despite her being a pretty terrible mentor. I LOVE her as a judge though!

Love Nicole, but i think XFUK needs strength and i think Mel B should be it.

You got that right, also i would like that Mel B and Dannii would be awesome.

I hope Mel B replaces Nicole. What i would also like is for the next series is tulisa being replaced by either Dannii or Cheryl.

I have a feeling next years Panel could either be:

Louis, Cheryl, Mel B, Gary

OR

Louis, Tulisa, Mel B, Gary

They should bring in Gordon, judge on the Dutch X-factor and Holland's Got Talent. He is very funny, but he is serious when it matters. And his English is better than that of some of the (guest) judges.
I know he's a no-name in Britain, but isn't the X-factor about spotting talent?

Will Gary definitely be back? If he decides it's time to release a new TT album and then tour, he won't have the time.

If the mulah is there i cant see him saying No to be honest.

I have found it a little hard to accept Nicole as a permanent judge, as she wasn't there for many of the auditions. This has created the feeling that she has chosen from among those already at Bootcamp rather than anyone she could have liked from the outset.

I'd like Tulisa to be replaced rather than Nicole, I like her less this year. She seems to be Simon's pet 2.0 as Cheryl was, I feel he has given her an easy category as Cheryl used to be.

I'd love to see next year's panel to include Louis and Mel B at least. I'm not adverse to Gary being on the panel, I think he's a talented guy but I don't think he's right for the show really. Nicole is a good judge I think but hasn't worked as well as she could have as she wasn't an established judge from the start so maybe is having trouble connecting with viewers.

I hope there won't be a 2013 show

I hope not.

Can't stand the woman.

No chance . Unpopular with viewers means it is a no- go .

This panels my favourite since Cheryl/danni/Simon/louis. Hope Nicole and Tulisa both stay.

Watch this space ...

She needs to finally be a judge, every year since the show started she has been lined up for it.
I don't like Sharon but her and Mel B on the same panel would be very interesting.

I don't know what peoples sources are for this and how reliable they are, but I like the idea of having Gary, Mel B and Sharon on the panel. All pretty no nonsense characters, who along with the reintroduction of closed auditions (I hope) should weed out the attention seeking joke acts who have been detrimental to the show the last few years.

- tim

No! I want Nicole to be on the panel. Forget everyone else. She is the only one this year who was into it and was popular (besides maybe Gary). Is everyone forgetting that? And are we forgetting that Cheryl made a career out of it so why can't Nicole?