The X Factor 2016: Sharon Osbourne, Nicole Scherzinger, Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell confirmed as judges

Jennifer Ruby1 June 2016

Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Nicole Scherzinger will join Simon Cowell as judges on this year's The X Factor.

After weeks of speculation, ITV have now confirmed that the three former judges will be making their return for the 2016 show.

Posting the news on Twitter on Wednesday morning, the programme's official account shared a photo of the brand new judges' chairs.

“Welcome back @MrsSOsbourne, @NicoleScherzy & Louis Walsh who join @SimonCowell on this year's judging panel,” read the post.

Comeback: Nicole Scherzinger, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh will return to The X Factor 
Tom Dymond/Thames/Rex

Sherzinger said: “I can’t wait to be back in the UK and on the show with the best judges sitting alongside me on the panel.

“I'm excited about discovering, mentoring and winning with an exciting new act this year. And having had winning contestants in the past, Simon knows I will do it.”

The line-up announcement comes after the trio were rumoured to be making a comeback last month.

Walsh, who has only spent one year away from the show since it started, is rumoured to have signed a major £1 million deal to return this year.

According to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Former Pussycat Dolls star Scherzinger dropped out of the Broadway production of Cats in order to return to the show.

“A week before we were going to go into rehearsals, I get the news that she wants to do X Factor in Britain, having agreed everything," he told Economist Radio.

The new signings come after all of last year's judges ruled themselves out of returning.

DJ Nick Grimshaw was first to confirm that he hadn't signed another contract, quickly followed by Cheryl Fernandez-Versini.

Last month, Rita Ora also confirmed that she wouldn't be returning on her Twitter account.

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