She's being called the "woman of the moment" and she's the reason we're all loving The X Factor again. No, not Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, the supposed star of this year's series after Simon Cowell persuaded her to return. We mean the funny, irrepressible, straight-shooting and knows-what-she's-talking-about fourth judge, Mel B.
Four weeks into the live shows and she's the best thing about them by far. She rides roughshod over Simon's opinions - seeing him squirm will always be a highlight of our week - and regularly eclipses his protegee, Cheryl.
And one person who's a particularly big fan is Louis Walsh.
"Mel is Simon's worst nightmare," fellow judge Louis told us exclusively last week.
"She won't back down and she'd not afraid to have an opinion. Mel is amazing, becuase she is a force of nature and a breath of fresh air.
"She is a loose cannon. We're much more fun and outspoken than the other two. That's what I love about her. She's a real person and not a fake."
Read the full story in this week's heat magazine - OUT NOW!