Producers have finally confirmed the poorly kept secret that previously announced The X Factor co-host Nicole Scherzinger will replace Cheryl Cole as a judge on the singing competition series. Scherzinger, the former lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, joins Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid, and Paula Abdul on the judging panel. Cole was fired before the show even aired. Though it's still not clear why she was axed, rumors are that Cole and Abdul didn't work well together and that her thick British accent didn't appeal to an American audience. Steve Jones, who was originally brought on to co-host with Scherzinger, will take over as the show's sole host.