Simon Cowell sent the tabloids and gossip blogs into frenzy earlier this week when he jested about Mariah Carey no longer being part of ‘The X Factor (US)’. However, the media tycoon has quelled the rumours by revealing that while Carey won’t be a guest mentor, she will still have a role on the live shows.

Carey was unable to film her mentorship segment with the contestants last month because of a hurricane. Cowell did not, however, confirm the exact nature of her new role on the series, which is scheduled to premiere tomorrow and will also feature Rihanna as a guest mentor.

See Cowell make the announcement below:

Whether Carey will serve as a judge, a co-host or an usher taking patrons’ tickets at the door, I am simply overjoyed that at least one person on that show will have both talent and likability. Nicole Scherzinger can sing but unless she plans to do a Britney Spears impersonation in every episode, there is nothing about her personality that will keep viewers engrossed.

Thoughts?