Yesterday Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue resumed the battle for the best dressed as they attended the boot camp auditions for the show in London.

But while they had pulled all the stops out, Cowell rolled up in a pair of jeans and a baggy white t-shirt for the session at the Hammersmith Apollo.

With her long legs on display, Cheryl, 26, appeared to have pipped Dannii this time round as she sauntered in wearing a purple mini-dress.

The Daily Mirror reports that the deal is being set up with the Fox network and will quadruple his current £25 million per annum for his work on the show.

The deal is being negotiated by his new business partner, the Topshop creator Sir Philip Green.

But Cowell was cautious about the mega-deal. He told US TV show Extra: “Nothing has been signed yet. We’re talking to Fox. We have a good relationship with them.”

The Mirror suggests that Cowell is seen as essential to the survival of the ailing American network, which makes £450million a year from advertising on American Idol.