A source told the paper: "He has launched an extreme charm offensive. He says she can spend what she likes on dresses for the series so she looks great.
"His final part was to offer a huge money deal. He upped the contract to £1.5 million which will make her the highest-paid judge." As always, bosses at X Factor have said no formal decisions regarding this year’s judging panel have been made.
That means we’re all just a bit confused about what’s going on
It seems certain that Simon Cowell and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini will return, while Mel B and show stalwart Louis Walsh will leave. That means two judges’ chairs need filled.
It’s been strongly rumoured that BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Nick Grimshaw will nab one of those chairs and, as he’s good friends with Rita, does that mean she’ll be tempted to take the other?
Guess we’ll just have to wait until later this year when producers confirm for good who will be judging the next batch of hopefuls.
We do know, however, that Caroline Flack and Olly Murs will be presenting the show after Dermot O’Leary left earlier this year.