Sharon pulls short straw?

X Factor producers have reportedly already reached a verdict on which groups of singers the show's judges will mentor in the second series of the ITV1

10:14 10 September 2005

X Factor producers have reportedly already reached a verdict on which groups of singers the show's judges will mentor in the second series of the ITV1 talent contest.

Wannabes successfully making it through the auditions and the X Factor boot camp will find themselves groomed for stardom by either Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh or Sharon Osbourne, with each judge looking after a separate group of contestants.

The Daily Mirror claims that Sharon has "drawn the short straw" this year, by reportedly being given the job of mentoring the over-25's group.

The official groupings have yet to be officially announced, but an X Factor mole told the paper that it is widely thought that the older groups will be "hardest to manage".

In the first series of X Factor, Sharon was in charge of the youngsters, which means if the rumours are true she will face a very different challenge in pushing the older group of singers to success.

Meanwhile, after guiding last year's winner Steve Brookstein to the final as part of the golden oldie group, pop mogul Simon Cowell will allegedly now find himself managing the music groups battling it out to win the latest series.

And after managing G4, last year's surprise success in the groups category, Louis will reportedly take the younger contestants under his wing this time round.

"Originally all the judges really wanted the young group because they seemed to be far and away the most talented," the X Factor insider told the Daily Mirror.

"It's widely thought that the over-25s will be the hardest to manage so Sharon's really going to have her work cut out for her."