X Factor bosses are said to want both Robbie Williams and Ayda Williams back on the show this year.
The husband and wife duo made their debuts as judges last series alongside fellow newbie Louis Tomlinson and show boss Simon Cowell.
Sources claim that producers are keen to sign the pair up again, although face problems because of Robbie’s schedule.
Last year he was forced to miss two weekends of live shows due to gigs in South America while this year Robbie will be performing in Vegas throughout the summer.
An insider told The Sun newspaper that programme bosses are “stuck a bit at the moment” planning for the new series.
“Producers were impressed with Robbie and (his wife) Ayda last year and definitely want them back,” they explained. “But there’s a bit of a question mark currently over how auditions fit in with his Vegas residency.
“There’s talk of ripping up the schedule entirely to work around him. However, the problem is that if they do auditions in May that clashes with Britain’s Got Talent, which most of the crew also work on.”
Officially no names have been confirmed for The X Factor 2019, which will be the show’s sixteenth series to date.
Louis Tomlinson has yet to say if he will be back, having last month revealed plans to continue work on his debut album.
“I’m a bit pedantic about this, I want it to be value for money so it’s going to be as many tracks as I can possibly get on it. I want to get it close to 18 for the deluxe,” Louis explained to X Factor’s host Dermot O’Leary on his BBC Radio 2 show in December.
He added: “It’s been a long process but I’m a proper perfectionist and I have a few more songs that I need and want to write. It’s more about the type of artist I am.”
X Factor 2019 applications are currently open now. The show typically begins in September on ITV.
