an Idol deal Mariah Carey nearing $17m American Idol deal

Husband Nick Cannon

may have laughed off

the rumours, but Mariah

Carey is allegedly

thisclose to signing a

deal worth $17 million to

join American Idol.

The figure dwarfs the $15 million dished out to

Britney Spears for The X Factor USA and, more

importantly, the $12 million paid out to Carey's

Idol predecessor Jennifer Lopez.

Limelife claims that the singer is nearing the end

of negotiations with producers, who have at least

two empty seats to fill following the departures of

Lopez and Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler.

Founding panellist Randy Jackson is also thought

to be on the fence over next year's 12th season.

Carey and Lopez are notoriously far from being

the best of friends.

Told in the past that the 'On The Floor' hitmaker

manages to get eight hours sleep a night, Carey

had quipped: "If I had the luxury of not actually

having to sing my own songs, I'd do that, too."

Ouch!

In terms of who else will join the panel,

candidates as bizarre as Charlie Sheen have been

linked, but no convincing gossip has emerged just

yet.

Jackson, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul were

behind the desk when the show made its Kelly

Clarkson-packed debut in 2002. Since then judges

have also included Kara DioGuardi and Ellen

DeGeneres.