New judge on the X Factor block, Nicole Scherzinger, has confirmed that she will not be getting too attached to her acts this year, ahead of this year’s judge’s houses stage of the competition.

Scherzinger, who got given the job last month after months of panic caused by Dannii Minogue turning it down at the eleventh hour, helped out during the 2010 X Factor audition stages when Cheryl Cole was ill and then went on to replace Cole as a judge on the US version of the hit talent show after she was sensationally sacked after only a few weeks on the job because of her accent.

However, now that she is returning to the UK after being sacked herself from the US judging role (where is the dignity?) she has revealed that she has set herself some pretty strict rules so as not to upset X Factor puppet-master Simon Cowell and lose her job again.

Included in these rules is one to not get too close to the contestants she is mentoring as the hardest part of her job she found last year was saying goodbye.

Speaking to Cosmopolitan magazine, she explained:  “X Factor UK has a special place in my heart,

“The thing I battled with last year [on X Factor USA] was the rejection part, having to let contestants go,

“But I’ve grown so much since then. I’ll make sure I continue to give 110% of me but not wear my heart on my sleeve as much.

“People didn’t see I committed six days a week and put everything to one side to help those contestants.”

Another rule is that she will stay on the right side of N-Dubz singer, and fellow judge, Tulisa Contostavlos.  There had been rumours circulating that the pair did not get on, but Nicole, who is dating Brit F1 champ, Lewis Hamilton, insists that this is not the case, and would even go as far as to say that she “loves” the reigning X Factor judge champion.

“Women should empower each other,’ said Nicole, ‘I felt close to Paula when I did X Factor in the US as well, and it’s great to work with Tulisa she’s a cool chick. We’re all on the same team together; she’s really fun. I love her a lot.

“You only have one person to answer to at the end of the night, and if you’re happy with yourself that’s all that matters. It’s hard when you feel the pressure.

“Sometimes people lose their identity in this industry. But I refuse to waver from who I am.”

The full interview with Nicole can be seen in Cosmopolitan, out now!