X Factor host Dermot O'Leary has spoken out in praise of new judge Nicole Scherzinger.

The former Pussycat Dolls star had previously been a guest judge on the UK version of the show and also worked on the inaugural first series of the US edition.

Speaking on ITV's Daybreak, O'Leary said that Scherzinger is "brilliant" and has slotted straight back into the swing of things. He said:

"She's only done one city so far with us, but the great thing is she did the year before in Manchester so she gets it. She did America last year obviously. She's brilliant."

He continued: "She gets our sense of humour I think because she has, I don’t know, because she's spent so much time with Lewis Hamilton I suppose. She kind of gets the whole UK or British sense of humour."