X-Factor

Hurricane Irene is screwing with Simon Cowell's new show -- TMZ has learned Mariah Carey had to cancel a "very important" video shoot for "X-factor" because she couldn't travel ... and we're told it's thrown the show into "utter chaos."

Sources connected to the show tell us Mariah is in New York and was supposed to fly to meet Simon at a secret location to begin taping a special segment for the show in the last few days.

Cowell has stated in the past that Mariah has an important role on the show -- but he's not revealing any details.

Fuller filed a legal complaint, and his publicist told Deadline.com that Fox and Fremantle refused to honor a 2005 contract that Fuller claims gave him both the title and the cash.

Here's the interesting backstory. Simon Fuller and Simon Cowell hate each other. The bad blood started over who got the creative credit for "A.I." and it has been building ever since.

UPDATE: FOX and Fremantle have released a joint statement -- saying, "Mr. Fuller has not been hired, nor performed any duties, on the U.S. version of "The X Factor."

The 32-year-old is belly, belly talented.

As TMZ reported, FOX and Fremantle had fired Cole as a judge on the show because she lacked chemistry with the other judges, but Fremantle and Fox had a change of heart after figuring out how much money they would eat by paying Cheryl her fee -- so they tried getting her back.

The overture didn't work, so Nicole Scherzinger -- who was originally picked as the host -- will now take Cheryl's place as a judge. Nicole's role was in limbo while Fox and Fremantle were trying to get Cheryl back as a judge.

The new host is Steve Jones, a former model and UK TV personality.

Our sources say when producers told Cheryl she wasnt right for the U.S. version of "X Factor," they tried to put her on the UK version of the show. Cheryl's managers wanted £2.5 million and producers thought it was too much, so the deal went south.

We're told Cheryl was due to get paid around $1.5 million for the U.S. show -- about what Paula Abdul and LA Reid are making -- but she has not decided whether to accept and come back.

The whole situation becomes even messier when you take into account Nicole Scherzinger -- who was originally hired as a host, but was moved to being a judge when Cheryl was axed. Her position on the show now seems to be up in the air.

The judges for this season of the popular British show were announced today and Cole's name was off the list. This year's judges panel is made up of music mogul Louis Walsh, Take That's Gary Barlow, Kelly Rowland from Destiny's Child and Tulisa Contostavlos of N-Dubz.

As TMZ first reported, Cole was supposed to be on the U.S. version of the show, but was given the boot because producers thought her accent was too thick for American audiences.

Paula seemed to have just heard the news when she took the stage earlier this week to face reporters. When asked about Cheryl leaving the show, Paula responded, "This apparently has captured the news while I was traveling so I'm just finding out things as you are ... You probably know more than I do."

There were other issues too -- we're told Cheryl and fellow judge Paula Abdul had a "lack of chemistry" ... and Cheryl was more expendable.

Producers now want Cheryl to return to the UK version of the show -- but according to sources, Cheryl's royally pissed over how this situation was handled ... and may sever ties with "X-Factor" entirely.

Steve Jones will now be the only host on the show -- which debuts in September -- since Nicole Scherzinger will be filling Cheryl's seat on the judging panel.

It's unclear why Cheryl is out -- but we're told the replacement happened very recently.

Nicole was originally supposed to co-host the show with Steve Jones when it debuts in September -- but now, she'll be sitting on the judge's panel alongside Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and LA Reid.

Calls to Cowell's camp have not been returned.

Paula only closed her deal last night, says Deadline, which is cutting it pretty darn close ... considering taping begins today in Los Angeles. The show announced yesterday that Nicole Scherzinger and British TV personality Steve Jones will co-host.

Rumors of Minaj's participation on the show have been spreading like wildfire ... with Simon Cowell himself fanning the flames ... but sources connected to Minaj tell us she won't be a judge on the show ... adding, "There's nothing going on with [X Factor]."

Earlier this week, Cowell told reporters that many of the names rumored to be in talks with the show were most likely leaked from his own company in an effort to stir up interest in the show.

Sources connected with the Super Bowl broadcast tell us Cowell will appear in a 30-second commercial during Sunday's big game ... promoting his new talent show "X Factor."