Bye-bye Cheryl? Some BIG changes on the way for The X Factor!

X Factor producers have revealed there is a big shake-up on the way for the next series of the show, in a bid to boost ratings.

The official judging panel line-up will not be announced until May but at the moment only Simon Cowell has been confirmed as safe.

"There will be some exciting changes. The name of the show will stay the same but we are looking at format and the judges. There will be some surprises this year. But I can’t go into detail," said X Factor executive producer Richard Holloway in an interview with The Mirror.

Speaking about the new plans, Richard said it was definitely time for a change. "We have been making the show for 10 years and to make it popular you have to refresh the show." However he admitted Simon would not be turned away from the panel, adding, "It is safe to say Simon is staying."

Given that Simon's production company Syco was the brains behind the show, we reckon he wouldn't be too happy to be kicked out!

Richard says that X Factor bosses would "love to beat" Strictly Come Dancing once again when it comes to viewer numbers. "There is an ongoing battle with Strictly," he revealed. "On overall volume they beat us last year. It has been a few years since we beat them on overall volume. It is quite interesting the split of the audience. It is very defined."

So with Simon confirmed, what about Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Mel B and Louis Walsh?

Mel B's last few weeks as a judge on the 2014 series of the show were full of drama as she had to miss the live semi-final for a mystery trip to hospital, amid reports she had left her husband Stephen Belafonte.

"It could be the case that Mel, Cheryl and Louis all don’t return but it’s still early days in discussions to say for certain and too soon to speculate," said Richard.

Hmmm… guess we'll have to wait until May for the big reveal.