Working with Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora has made X Factor judge Simon Cowell more down with the kids, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini has revealed.

The TV mogul, 55, has picked up some street slang from the show's new coaches, ahead of the 12th series starting on Saturday August 29.

"We're teaching him new words - yesterday we were teaching him what 'on flique' means, and all the new latest things," the former Girls Aloud singer said.

"Rita's got her own little thing where she goes, 'Mash it up, mash it up, mash it up, boom'. Simon said last night, 'I'm going to mash it up!' He's cottoning on!"

Fernandez-Versini, who has reprised her role on the ITV show, said the younger line-up - which includes Olly Murs and Caroline Flack taking over from Dermot O'Leary on hosting duties - has given Cowell "energy".

"We all respect him, though; he's been many years in the industry, seen all the changes and had a lot of success. You can't deny the guy's a genius. There's a level of respect there, it's not an age thing, even though we joke about it," she added.

Fernandez-Versini, 32, also revealed how she wanted to mix up the categories.

"I had an idea to change up the categories so that we have one of each," she explained.

"I think that makes it far more competitive, far more of a challenge for the mentors and more of an open competition because, for example, Simon might get the best group, Rita the best boy, I might have the best over and Nick the best girl.

"People will be like, 'Who on earth is going to win?' Sometimes you get a strong category and it's obvious it's going to be one of those - if you mix it and we have got talent across every board, then it's going to be wide open and no one's going to be able to guess who's going to win."