Minogue set for pay cut

Dannii Minogue is to take a £300,000 (€339,832) pay cut.

The Australian singer – who is six months pregnant with her first child – is set to enter negotiations for a new ‘X Factor’ contract today but has been warned she must expect a drop in her current £1m (€1.13m) salary as her maternity leave means she will miss the audition stage of the competition.

A source said: “This meeting is the first step to getting Dannii back on the show. If a solution can be worked out she will be here again at the live stages.

“We are very, very keen for her to come back so at this stage, it doesn’t look like her pregnancy is going to present any problems we can’t work around.”

It is believed that bosses are planning a series of celebrity guest judges to sit alongside panellists Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Cheryl Cole to replace Dannii in the auditions, with names being considered including Robbie Williams, Paula Abdul, Ronan Keating and Mel B.

Another source said: “Dannii staying is now the preferred option and that means someone has to fill in for her. The show has to strive to be bigger and better each year, and so special guests and big names stars can help lift the initial episodes before the live stages.

“It will give fans even more to talk about.”