Dannii Minogue has described X Factor without rival judge Sharon Osbourne a “dream”, hinting that there bitter rivalry is still very much existent.

Rock matriarch Osbourne left the programme earlier this month amid speculation of a bitter feud with Minogue, sister of superstar singer Kylie, and arguments with TV bosses over her pay deal.

And there is no love lost between the pair, with the Australian pop star claiming the set was fraught with tension when Osbourne was around.

Minogue tells The Sun: "It's just a dream. It's a very different set. No more eyes down during commercial breaks trying not to look tense. It wasn't the sort of environment I wanted to be in."

She adds: "I can't say I don't enjoy the current situation a lot more."

And the star insists she is determined not to have a similarly bitter relationship with new female judge Cheryl Cole, with Minogue breaking the ice with the Girl's Aloud star as soon as she arrived on the set of the ITV1 show.

She concludes: "We started off on a good foot. I went to her dressing room and said, 'Welcome to the set, let's have some fun'."