British singer Cheryl was dropped from the panel last month and swiftly replaced by Scherzinger. Jeff Haddad, who managed the former Pussycat Doll for 13 years, right up until she signed for the show, said that Nicole had been destined for the job from day one.
Having negotiated the X Factor deal for Nicole, who was originally hosting programme, he told heat magazine, 'Simon Cowell always wanted her as a judge. There was never a question that she wouldn't get it.
'I had long discussions with Simon about her judging the US show and she was always a front-runner for that job.
'Cheryl's name never came into it. Cheryl was just being used as a cog in the wheel to cause hype and publicise the show. Nicole was never supposed to be a host.'
And he said his suspicions were increased when anyone failed to give a concrete reason for why Cheryl was dropped.
'I think Cheryl's accent never came into it - it was an excuse. Americans are used to all sorts of accents.'
An X Factor spokesperson dismissed the claims as 'complete and utter rubbish'.