Simon Cowell told Mel B she was "average" looking.
The former Spice Girls singer – who has shown off a new shorter hair cut and stylish dresses in her new role as an ‘X Factor’ judge – was left speechless ahead of the first live show when her fellow judge paid her a backhanded compliment about her new look.
In an interview with Grazia magazine she recalled: "Me and Simon were behind the screen waiting to go on and he turns to me and goes, ‘I have to tell you darling, you look cute now.’ I went, ‘Well what was I before?’ and he says, ‘Average’. I couldn’t say anything back because the doors were opening."
Mel credits her improved image to her new stylist and admits he has done "wonders" with her look.
She said: "I’ve been working with a stylist who’s a good friend of mine, Jason Bolde. He told me, ‘I’m only going to work with you if you listen to me and let me make changes.’
"He wanted to give me a sleeker, more chic look, and so far he’s done wonders. Because it’s the UK ‘X Factor’ I told him I wanna wear UK designers."