Kylie to fill in for Dannii

AAP

KYLIE Minogue is set to take over sister Dannii's judge's seat on hit British TV talent show the X Factor while her younger sibling takes time off to have a baby.

Dannii plans to spend time at home in Melbourne after her baby is born in July, meaning she will miss out on filming the audition stages for singers competing in this year's X Factor.

Show insiders say fellow judges Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh will all return and be joined by guest judges, including Kylie, while Dannii is away.

"There will be American Idol-style guest judges to fill her vacant seat, one of whom will be Kylie," one source told the Daily Star newspaper.

"Once Dannii has had her baby she will come back to the show for judging the final stages of the contest.

"And she will be back for the live shows."

Dannii told the newspaper she was looking forward to returning to Australia with fiance Kris Smith.

"I'll be at home in Australia while the early stages of this year's show are being filmed," she said.

"I really need to be near my family at such an important time."

And she hopes big sister Kylie will be a dab hand at making some stylish outfits for the baby.

"I want her to learn to knit so she can make lots of clothes, but she's not keen on the idea," Dannii said.