Mario Lopez, Khloe Kardashian Odom to host ‘The X Factor’

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Mario Lopez and Khloe Kardashian Odom are officially joining “The X Factor.”

After weeks of speculation, Fox announced Tuesday that the “Extra” host and the “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” co-star will indeed host the second season of the talent competition. Lopez and Odom will first appear as hosts during the show’s live broadcasts next month, the network said.

“The worst kept secret in Hollywood is out,” said “X Factor” creator and judge Simon Cowell in a statement. “Mario and Khloe are our hosts. They will debut on our first live show in November, and I couldn’t be happier.”

British television personality Steve Jones served as the sole host for the first season of the U.S. edition of the show.

The addition of Lopez and Kardashian is the latest shift for the underperforming singing contest. Britney Spears and Demi Lovato joined Cowell and L.A. Reid on “The X Factor” judging panel at the start of the second season. The pair replaced Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger.

“I’m very excited to be joining ‘The X Factor’ team,” said Lopez, who has also hosted MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew” for the past seven seasons. “I love the show, and I’ve been a big fan of Simon Cowell and the judges for a long time. Khloe and I have been friends for years, and I know we’ll be a great team and have a blast.”

The current second season of “X Factor” is earning solid ratings for Fox, but NBC’s “The Voice” continues to perform better. Last week, 12.55 million people watched “The Voice,” while “X Factor” was seen by 9.71 million, according to the Nielsen Co.

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Fox is owned by News Corp.

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang .