Nicole Scherzinger reveals cheeky X Factor contestants ask her on dates... as Sharon Osbourne hints at feud between female judges

She's blissfully loved up with her tennis star boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov but that hasn't stopped a few plucky X Factor contestants from trying their luck with Nicole Scherzinger.

The stunning judge has revealed some brave hopefuls have even treated her to gifts in a bid to woo her over but she has zero interest in dating any of the ITV talent show's contestants - even if she wasn't a happily taken woman.

Brunette beauty Nicole also said X Factor's head judge Simon Cowell has lavished praise on her and fellow female judge Sharon Osbourne for not letting flirtatious contestants affect their judging.

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In demand: Nicole Scherzingerhas revealed some brave X Factor hopefuls have even treated her to gifts in a bid to woo her over but she has zero interest in dating any of the ITV talent show's contestants - even if she wasn't a happily taken woman

In demand: Nicole Scherzingerhas revealed some brave X Factor hopefuls have even treated her to gifts in a bid to woo her over but she has zero interest in dating any of the ITV talent show's contestants - even if she wasn't a happily taken woman

Feud? While Nicole and Sharon are usually the best of friends, music matriarch Sharon has hinted at a disagreement between them when it came to who was given which category to mentor

Feud? While Nicole and Sharon are usually the best of friends, music matriarch Sharon has hinted at a disagreement between them when it came to who was given which category to mentor

'It's charming when anyone's nice to  you. When people come in and bring a little gift or they're sweet it's nice,' she told The Sun

'Some of [Simon]'s other judges on his panels, they get all cutesy and girly and go googly. But he says, "You and Sharon really don't care, do you?"'

The X Factor returns to screens on Saturday evening as the brand new series kicks off with the first of the traditional audition episodes - and from the sound of it, viewers can expect some fireworks.

While Nicole and Sharon are usually the best of friends, music matriarch Sharon has hinted at a disagreement between them when it came to who was given which category to mentor. 

Duo: 'There's always conflict - that's what's so exciting you can't all smile all the time. My conflict is that Nicole wanted my category - and I'm so happy,' Sharon, 64, told The Sun in a separate interview

Duo: 'There's always conflict - that's what's so exciting you can't all smile all the time. My conflict is that Nicole wanted my category - and I'm so happy,' Sharon, 64, told The Sun in a separate interview

Romance: She's blissfully loved up with her tennis star boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov

Romance: She's blissfully loved up with her tennis star boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov

'There's always conflict - that's what's so exciting you can't all smile all the time. My conflict is that Nicole wanted my category - and I'm so happy,' Sharon, 64, told The Sun in a separate interview.

It's unclear just what that category is as the identity of each judge's group is kept a secret until the big reveal on screen once all the auditions have been completed.

One act that definitely won Nicole over was band Rak-Su, who audition on Saturday evening with their self-penned song I'm Feeling You.

Getting into the groove of the room auditions, the Poison hitmaker happily sang the chorus of the talent show hopeful's track - which was about how frontman Jamaal met his girlfriend - for their first appearance during the series premiere.

Facing off: It's unclear just what that category is as the identity of each judge's group is kept a secret until the big reveal on screen once all the auditions have been completed

Facing off: It's unclear just what that category is as the identity of each judge's group is kept a secret until the big reveal on screen once all the auditions have been completed

The R&B and grime four-piece - which is made up of rapper Myles, singer Jamaal, songwriter Ashley and DJ and dancer Mustafa - won over the Hawaiit-born beauty within seconds of performing their song as she swayed to the beat and threw her arms in the air.

Beaming as they sang, she got caught up in the moment as she threw her pen across the judges' table when one member began to pop and lock, chiming in: 'Oh, here he is!' 

The band's self-written track comes after head judge Simon encouraged hopefuls to perform their own original material for the upcoming 14th series, which was also echoed by Nicole.

He said: 'When they are good song writers, you have to encourage that, 100 per cent, otherwise it's just karaoke'. 

Nicole agreed, saying at the X Factor press day: 'The biggest thing for me this year is artists being able to sing their own, original material. That's when true colours come through and you see the authenticity of the act.

Emotional: The star is known for passionately supporting her acts

Emotional: The star is known for passionately supporting her acts

'Original songs make the person more transparent than ever and they're telling you what kind of artist they are. It's been really awesome and I'm excited about that.' 

Nicole won last year's X Factor with Matt Terry and is hoping to do the same this time around - even if fellow judge Louis Walsh is determined he will be getting the glory for once. 

Bigging himself up last week, Louis declared: 'I’m in it to win it this year! I’ve got an edge to me. I’m looking forward to winning! I’ve got a really good category, I’ve picked some really good people. It’s going to be a different Louis this year.

'I’ve got great talent and I’m going to get the best out of them. I’m going to show them. Nicole is not going to win this year, she can go back to America!'

However, Nicole insisted she would not be going down without a fight and hit back at the Irish music mogul by saying she's got her eye on the prize.

'Louis doesn’t mean any business, don’t listen to him! He’s all talk. He wants to let everyone through, he doesn’t want to send anyone home, he always says he means business but he doesn’t at all, he’s lying,' she joked.

'I might be pushing it by saying I am going to win two years in a row,' she added. 'I’m very competitive and will do the best that I can. I think every category is strong in their own right this year so you never know. I’m very surprised by the category that Simon has, I think he’s the one to watch.'

Winning line-up: The X Factor will return to ITV  on Saturday at 8pm

Winning line-up: The X Factor will return to ITV  on Saturday at 8pm

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