Simon Cowell was intentionally evasive on 'Today' (weekdays, 7AM ET on NBC) regarding who will comprise the panel of judges on 'The X Factor.' He did, however, address rumors that Mick Jagger will be a judge, and offered a few other tantalizing, but vague, clues.

When the American version of Simon Cowell's 'The X Factor' premieres in the fall, it'll have the highest stakes yet of any televised talent competition. Cowell announced today that the winner of the inaugural season will win a $5 million record deal with Sony Music.

Contestants must be 12 years old to enter, and unlike 'American Idol,' there's no age limit for aspiring singers.

"I like the idea that a 12-year-old on this show can compete with an older singer and a singing group," Cowell said in a statement. "I've never believed there should be a cut-off age for talent, and we are going to put our money where our mouths are with the $5 million recording contract. I'm doing this show in America because I genuinely believe we can find a superstar."

Taryn Manning has been waiting in the wings for her time to shine on 'Hawaii Five-0,' but now that it's almost here, will it be her last?

Spoiler warning!

According to TV Guide, the Jan. 3 episode of 'Hawaii Five-0' will feature a plot that sees Manning's character MaryAnn get kidnapped. The episode might not exactly end on a happy note. "Steve discovers a tooth on the ground," Manning told TV Guide, "basically establishing that MaryAnn was a badass and fought her whole way through. There's a lot of emotion."

MaryAnn's kidnapping is tied to a bigger story: Wo Fat and the murder of Steve (Alex O'Loughlin) and MaryAnn's mom. The producers decided to shift the focus from Steve's personal life to his professional relationships, leaving Manning and her character in limbo, but under the impression she'd possibly be around for other seasons. "The family mystery was supposed to slowly unfold over the first season and I was going to play a big part in that with my own Nancy Drew mission," Manning said. "It was told to me that the first season would be based around the team more, and I should just hang tight."

Manning said the final scene will see Steve experiencing sadness over a loss.

In other TV news ...

• Don't expect a Kylie and Kendall Jenner spinoff series soon. The younger girls of the Kardashian/Jenner clan are into fashion and getting ready for college, but a spinoff is not part of their immediate plans. "It's something to think about," 15-year-old Kylie said. [E! Online]

• Univision's 'Soy Tu Dueña' was the number one program with 18-49 year olds on Tuesday night. Out of 5.8 million viewers, 3.7 million were in the key demographic. The series beat out powerhouses 'NCIS' and 'NCIS: LA' in the demo. [Hollywood Reporter]

Fran Drescher is already back on TV in some areas with a trial run of her new talk show, but fans around the country could be welcoming her back to primetime very soon. TV Land has ordered a pilot based on Drescher's life.

According to Deadline Hollywood, TV Land has ordered 'Happily Divorced' from Drescher and her ex-husband Peter Marc Jacobsen. The two previously created and wrote 'The Nanny' together.

Drescher will executive produce, co-write and possibly star in 'Happily Divorced,' a sitcom about a woman who is thrown back into the dating world when her husband comes out as gay.

TV Land has also ordered a pilot for 'Rip City,' a multi-camera office comedy from 'Lizzie McGuire' and 'Less Than Perfect' creator Terri Minsky.

In other TV news ...

• Rumors of Nicole Scherzinger and Cheryl Cole headlining the American 'X Factor' are heating up. Cole has reportedly signed a deal that will bring her to American televisions and help launch her career in the States. [Daily Mail]

• Natasha Leggero has signed a talent holding deal with NBC. As part of the deal, the 'Last Comic Standing' judge will either join the cast of an existing series or star in a pilot. Could she be the new Dunder Mifflin boss? [Variety]

• Shonda Rhimes is turning her attention away from doctors and onto publicists. The 'Grey's Anatomy' creator is working on a new soap inspired by PR guru Judy Smith. Rhimes will write and executive produce the pilot, about a publicist and her dysfunctional staff. [Vulture]

Simon Cowell's exit from the 'American Idol' judging panel is shaking up the 10-season-old U.S. show, but the reality talent competition guru isn't stopping there. Cowell's two U.K. shows, 'The X Factor' and 'Britain's Got Talent,' which he produces as well as judges, are getting their own massive cleanups as well.

"Expect big changes," he told the U.K.'s Daily Star. "I like the idea of doing something different next year.

First up: changing the judging panels on both shows, including giving himself the axe.

"No one is safe," he said. "No one should feel they have the show guaranteed, including myself. At the moment you are going to see me doing one show next year. "

'American Idol' is getting its old timeslot back on Wednesdays.

Starting Jan. 27, Fox will swap 'American Idol' with the midseason series 'Human Target,' with 'Target' airing at 8PM and 'Idol' moving back to its familiar timeslot at 9PM. 'Idol''s first two Wednesday night episodes of the season (airing Jan. 13 and Jan. 20) will still air at 8PM, according to Variety.

Liberace. Celine Dion. Simon Cowell?

Yes, Simon Cowell is coming to Las Vegas. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cowell, who of course is best known for being the acidic head judge on international mega-smash 'American Idol,' will be taking his other musical talent show, 'The X Factor,' to Sin City.

Fox is negotiating a deal with Simon Cowell to bring 'The X Factor' to the U.S., the CW renews 'One Tree Hill' for a full season, 'SNL''s Jim Breuer lands a new deal with NBC and more of today's top TV headlines.

This story both amuses me and baffles me.

A poll of under-10 British children reveals that the kids think that American Idol/X Factor host Simon Cowell is more famous than God, the guy who created the universe. The poll was taken in one town, Luton; Cowell also beat out Queen Elizabeth.

But does this really mean that little British kids think that Cowell is better than God? How exactly did they ask the question? Maybe Cowell is more "famous" than God, because, well, he's on television all the time and these kids probably think they know him better. I think that people are going to be disturbed and shocked by these results when they really don't have to be. I mean, these kids have to know who God and The Queen are to even put them in the top 5, right?

Maybe they showed the kids two pictures, one of God and one of Cowell.

What's happening on other blogs via the interweb.

• Ed McMahon tells Larry King about his financial problems.
• CBS' Early Show gets a new look next week. Here's a sneak peek.
• Nikki Finke has new info on the SAG vs. AFTRA mess.
• Michael Ian Black isn't happy about Doritos.
• Mary McCormack's In Plain Sight character will make an appearance on Law and Order: CI.
• This Late Night with Conan O'Brien researcher isn't happy with NBC's A-List Award ads.
• Sharon Osbourne quits The X Factor.

Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.

Today: on TV Squad Daily:

• Making our country proud: it's Miss USA vs. Katie Couric.
  
• Simon Cowell's criticism saves lives!
  
• China is cracking down even more on TV content, including banning provocative noises.
  

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Shed Productions (the company behind Footballers Wives), along with Simon Cowell's company, Syco TV, will produce a new drama series called Rock Rivals for ITV in the UK.

The fictional drama will revolve around two celebrity judges on a TV talent show whose marriage crumbles into a "War of the Roses" feud, both onscreen and off.

Simon is excited about the show, and thinks the "idea is brilliant." He describes the show as "X Factor meets Dallas."