Nicole Scherzinger hasn’t yet confirmed if she’ll return for the second season of ‘The X Factor,’ Deadline is reporting. The former Pussycat Dolls singer has only said she’s had a lot of fun during the current debut season of the Fox singing competition, and she took the job to mentor the up-and-coming singers. But the elimination process has been hard on her, as “it’s something I could never have been prepared for,” Scherzinger added.

Scherzinger was a last-minute replacement for original judge Cheryl Cole, who left ‘The X Factor’ before the auditions began airing. The singer, who was originally slated to be a co-host on the show, has received mostly negative feedback. She notably faced controversy when she allowed the audience to decide the fate of 13-year-old contestant Rachel Crow, who was shockingly eliminated earlier this month.

With the two-part first season finale airing on December 20 and 21, Scherzinger said she’s busy helping mentor Josh Krajcik. “I’ve got to get (Josh) through this and to come out swinging,” she said. “So I’m just going to focus on doing a really good job with (Josh) here,” the singer added.

Fellow judge Simon Cowell hasn’t commented on Scherzinger’s future on ‘The X Factor.’ He only said “we change these shows all the time. You listen to the network, you listen to the sponsors.” But she said she’d love to return if Fox will have her back.”

Written by: Karen Benardello