Mel B's diva act - the spice girl pulls out of a job at the last minute

X-Factor judges with Jack Vidgen. Picture: Melaniebrown.com taken from Mel's blog. Source: The Sunday Telegraph

TOO hot to handle? Mel B (left) is the big draw on this year's X Factor, but some say the former Spice Girl is proving a challenge to manage.

It's understood the pregnant star has pulled out of at least one high-profile magazine shoot at the last minute.

Journalists seeking any interviews in the lead-up to the show, which is expected to go to air around August, have been kept away from the singer.

Mel B did, however, do a radio interview with Austereo mid-week, as she's signed to the station for the duration of the show.

"The publicity team has no idea how to handle her," claimed a well-placed insider.

"For one magazine shoot, Seven cancelled at the last minute with publicity intimating it was a really serious health problem," the source said.

"Then Mel B was photographed by paparazzi out and about all over Sydney."

With all due respect, though, we love the straight-talking Mel B and we hear she's been a delight to production staff and her fellow judges - Ronan Keating, Guy Sebastian and Natalie Bassingthwaighte.

So if she's a bit demanding, we can forgive her. After all, we need a few more divas in this town.