Cheryl Cole will only return to 'The X Factor' if she is the only woman on the panel.
The pop princess has allegedly told ITV bosses she will only reprise her role on the judging panel alongside Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and a mystery fourth mentor if she is the sole female.
A source told the Daily Star newspaper: "If Cheryl does come back as planned, she will be the only woman on the panel. That's how she wanted it and at this moment she seems to be calling the shots.
"They're still finalising the other details but Cheryl made it clear she didn't want to be pitched against another female again."
The Girls Aloud singer is rumoured to be in final talks with Simon and is expected to return to the UK show for the first time since 2010.
She famously fell out with the music boss in 2011 when he unceremoniously axed her from the US version, but the pair met up in Los Angeles earlier this month to negotiate a deal, said to be worth £2 million.
Sources also say Olly Murs, one of the most successful 'X Factor' veterans ever, is likely to replace Gary Barlow on the panel, although Simon is now apparently toying with the idea of signing up superstar Lionel Richie.
The insider added: "Olly is practically a surefire bet. But Simon could also surprise everyone by signing up legend Lionel.
"They're pals and last year's contestants even moved into the crooner's old house for the duration of the show."

Tommy Lee has got engaged.
The Motley Crue drummer is set to make longterm girlfriend Sofia 'Sofi' Toufa his fourth wife after deciding he wants to be with her for "life".
He tweeted yesterday (24.02.14): "There comes a time in a mans life when you just know your partner is for LIFE!! Say hello to my fiancé and soon to be wife @SOFIofficial (sic)"
Singer Sofia, 30, also tweeted excitedly about the news a few minutes later.
She wrote: "I'm something that rhymes with Beyonce!!!!!(sic)"
The 51-year-old rocker first married model Elaine Starcuk in November 1984, but they divorced the following year.
He tied the knot for the second time in 1986, to actress Heather Locklear, and they separated in August 1993.
In 1995, just four days after he met 'Baywatch' actress Pamela Anderson, the couple married. They went on to have children Bandon, now 17, and Dylan, 16, but divorced in 1998.
However, they later reconciled but split in 2001, before getting back together again in 2008 and separating later that year.
He was also engaged to Prince's ex-wife, Mayte Garcia, from 2001 to 2003, but she later admitted she felt he was still "in love" with Pamela during their relationship.

Salma Hayek's brother has been involved in a fatal car crash. Sami Hayek, 40, was driving a Ford GT sports car on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, on Sunday (23.02.14), when he allegedly lost control of the vehicle and smashed into a Toyota pickup tr...

Kim Basinger finds 'selfies' "scary".
The 60-year-old actress - who has 18-year-old daughter Ireland with ex-husband Alec Baldwin - fears for the future of young people because they appear self-absorbed and don't have much drive to work hard to find success.
She said: "If you look at this generation of selfies and selfies and selfies, it seems a little bit scary. I like to see a driven kid, somebody who wants to come from the ground up . . . you just don't know what's going to happen to this generation."
The 'L.A. Confidential' actress also insisted she is nothing like her sexy image.
Speaking to the new issue of Interview magazine, she said: "I'm more bare-footed Rastafarian, crazy."
Last year, Ireland landed a deal with IMG Models and Kim insisted her daughter had worked hard to pursue a modelling career without her help because she only wanted to protect her by giving her a normal upbringing as far out of the public eye as possible.
She previously said ''She grew up in the limelight but I tried to provide stability and a quieter world.
''You just want them to follow their own path, and she totally did this on her own.
''I think she wanted to stick her foot in and see what it would bring. And she's doing extremely well.''

Billy Connolly realised he was suffering from Parkinson's disease after a fan noticed a problem with the way he walked.
The 71-year-old star was spotted by an Australian doctor, who was on tour with a group of dancers in America, and he insisted the comedian showed a "strange gait" which led to Billy being diagnosed with the degenerative nerve disorder.
Billy told a US radio station: "It was the strangest thing of all.
"I was walking through the lobby and every time I had gone through there was a crowd of boys and girls and a couple of adults.
"It turned out they were dancers from Australia.
"The guy who was in charge of them came over to me one day and said 'Billy, I'm a big fan, I'm from Tasmania'.
"He said, 'I'm a surgeon and I have been watching you walking, you have a strange gait'. That was the way he put it.
"He said 'You're showing distinct signs of early onset Parkinson's disease, see your doctor'.
"I think it was the way I held myself when I was walking.
"Then they did blood tests and various other little bits and pieces and told me I had it."
Billy - who is wed to psychologist Pamela Stephenson and has five children from his two marriages - also revealed he came off his medication because the side-effects were stronger than the effects of the illness, which can include shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty with walking.
He added: "I don't see much shaking going on and I have always had a s**t memory anyway.
"I have forgotten things my entire career. I was taking drugs to control the Parkinson's but I'm not on them anymore.
"The doctor said the side effects were stronger than the effects. I never noticed any side effects but he told me they could include a deep interest in sex and gambling.
"In terms of treatment I think some of the stem cell stuff is very promising but they have a lot of problems legally getting it through."

Bradley Cooper is set to star in 'American Blood'. The A-list actor has signed on to star in and produce Warner Bros.' crime drama based on the upcoming book by Ben Sanders. The rights to the novel were in hot demand, with at least one other studio b...

Nile Rodgers and Chic are closing Bestival 2014.
The legendary band have been chosen to headline the UK festival on the Sunday evening (07.09.14) and they are "excited" to have been bestowed the honour.
'Le Freak' hitmaker Nile commented: "I'm so excited to be back at Bestival, this time in the prestigious Sunday night headliner slot following legends Stevie Wonder and Elton John. Expect an extra special Desert Island Disco set from myself and Chic! Looking forward to seeing you all in September."
The disco group - who are currently working on a new album - will join fellow headliners OutKast, Beck and Foals at the Isle of Wight-based event, which boasts a tropical Desert Island Disco theme this year.
Rob da Bank, the festival's organiser, enthused: "Ever since I first booked Chic and Nile for Bestival a few years back they have hands down been the best live band we've ever had at Bestival and Camp Bestival.
"And once people start realising how many hits Nile has written and produced for artists ranging from Madonna and David Bowie through to Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky' you realise this is just one huge disco jukebox that is gonna keep firing out the hits all night!"
"I'm over the moon that Nile and the crew are going to wrap up our Desert Island Disco Finale with a damn funky, glittery bang. Everybody Dance!"
The Bestival 2014 line-up also includes the likes of Sam Smith, Disclosure, Major Lazer and Busta Rhymes.

Mary Berry doesn't keep in touch with 'The Great British Bake Off' contestants.
The 78-year-old star, who judges the BBC baking competition with Paul Hollywood, says she doesn't want to appear to be picking favourites among the contestants and so chooses not to correspond with them after they leave the show.
She explained: "It would be nice to still be in touch but I made the decision at the outset that if I was in touch with one person and told them their book was good, another could say, 'But Mary has never contacted me.' It's lovely to see them at the BBC Good Food Show when we all meet up. It's like your children. You love your children equally. I love everyone who has been on 'Bake Off'."
However, the TV cook is good friends with 'Bake Off' hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, whom she regularly keeps in touch with even when the series isn't filming.
Mary told new! magazine: "They bring out lots of humour, and away from filming we're always playing pranks on set! Paul loves his cars and once we took away his keys. I didn't actually take them, but I was very encouraging for it to happen!"

Millie Mackintosh doesn't hang out with her old 'Made in Chelsea' co-stars.
The 24-year-old beauty quit the E4 reality show last year and although she insists there is no bad feeling between herself and her former castmates, she doesn't speak to them very often.
She told Britain's HELLO! magazine: "I wouldn't say I'm not friends with them. I don't call them up and say, 'Hey let's hang out', but if I bumped into them I'd say hi."
Millie is grateful for the show because of the opportunities it has given her.
She added: "Doing the show was such a good opportunity for me because it opened so many doors."
And Millie - who is married to Professor Green - went on to hint she is launching her own fashion line.
She said: "I can't give too much away but I feel very lucky now I'm in a position where I'm in the process of designing. I'm definitely heading in the direction of creating my own clothing line."
Millie's passion for fashion has come further since leaving the show as high-end designers are more willing to lend her items.
She said: "It's really nice to have such amazing brands wanting me to wear their clothes. When I first started out, literally no one wanted to dress me. It's the reality TV tag. I find it disappointing but I understood there was stigma attached. I find it less and less now."

Jimmy Kimmel is set to become a father for the third time.
The chat show host and his wife Molly McNearney are expecting their first child together, with the TV personality revealing the exciting news on an episode of 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' airing this Wednesday (26.02.14).
Amid cheers from the studio audience, he announced: "I'm having a baby . . . wait I want to finish . . . with Ellen. No, I decided to have the first one with my wife. We got married in July and, you know, it's interesting. It's disgusting the way babies are made."
Ellen replied: "Good for you. And why is it disgusting?"
Jimmy, 46, joked: "Well, there are so many human body parts involved. Did you know there are eggs in us? That's gross just to start with."
The funnyman tied the knot with his long-time love Molly, a writer on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', last July.
He already has children Katie and Kevin with his ex-wife Gina, who he split from in 2002, but is worried he is out of practice when it comes to looking after babies.
Jimmy explained: "I have a 20-year-old son and a 22-year-old daughter, and I've really forgotten everything. It's funny because I was just with some friends who just had a baby, I was like, 'Oh yeah.' And there's new ways to do things. You hold them by the front of the neck now it seems."
The couple are planning to find out the sex of the baby before the birth, even though Jimmy originally wanted it to be a surprise.
Jimmy said: "I would like it to be a surprise and my wife, Molly, was happy with that idea until about a week ago she started saying we really need to find out. But I don't think it matters.
"I don't think you need to make the baby's room blue or pink I mean it's kind of - it's inherently ridiculous. I don't think they could even see colours, right? I mean, or is that dogs I'm thinking of?"

Simon Cowell was given a police warning for bringing his dogs to the beach.
The 'X Factor' judge caused a scene while holidaying in Miami with his girlfriend Lauren Silverman and their baby son Eric when he was cautioned for walking his beloved Yorkshire Terriers, Squiddly and Diddly, in a pet-free zone.
Simon was spotted cosying up to Lauren on a sunlounger on Miami Beach during 11 day old Eric's first visit to the seaside, with his pet pooches roaming freely around them and one even licking the tiny tot's face.
When the music mogul decided to stretch his legs along the Bal Harbour resort waterfront, a police officer arrived to give him a ticking off for ignoring a sign which clearly stated no dogs were allowed on the beach.
The 54-year-old star escaped with a written warning and looked relieved since the offence usually results in a $200 fine.
An onlooker told the MailOnline: "[Simon] told them he would not do it again and seemed happy that he got away with a telling off."
The TV personality was later seen grinning and posing for pictures with a crowd of admiring women.
This comes after Simon hired a dog expert named Edward Alava to ensure the puppies - who he adopted in October - were able to adjust to the newborn's arrival.
A source said: "Edward advised Simon on how to familiarise the dogs to Eric, telling Simon to put one of Eric's blankets in the pup's basket so they could get used to the newborn's smell."

Jason Dohring says Hollywood fight scenes are "scrappy".
The 31-year-old actor - who will reprise the role of Logan in the big screen adaptation of 'Veronica Mars' - admits he might "wind up on the ground" in a scene which he is filming.
Talking to collider.com, he said: "I've never been in a fight, proper. I've been hit a couple times, just by a friend who was very upset or push and pull. But it's scary, man. I was watching some fights leading up to this, because you see acting fights, and then you see a real fight, and you're like, 'Dude, that's different. That's ugly.'
"Like, there's a lot of uncertainty, and in Hollywood it's just like you hit me, I hit you. It's scrappy, you could wind up on the ground, there's a lot of misses -- and I think we're gonna have something closer to that in the scene we're gonna film."
Although Dohring was reluctant to say why they were filming a bust-up he admits he stepped in when titular character Veronica Mars is in trouble.
He added: "There's some mistreatment of Veronica. That's not acceptable, etcetera."