Dannii Minogue is said to be furious that her sidle down the table on the X-Factor is a permanent move.

Minogue was seated next to co-judge Cheryl Cole but moved to the end of the judges’ table to take the seat of Louis Walsh on five minutes’ notice from producers.

She was informed after the show that the move was in fact permanent for the rest of the series.

Sources said: “Dannii was only told five minutes before the judges were due on set as the producers didn’t want a row, so she was furious. The situation is that the producers like the banter between Simon and Louis and wanted to move Louis up the panel. He livens things up, whereas having Cheryl and Dannii sitting together was getting a bit dull.”

The sources continued: “But they also felt that Dannii and Simon give the most constructive comments on the show, so they would make good bookends, so Dannii is also somewhat a victim of her own success.”

Meanwhile, Simon Cowell has displayed dissatisfaction with Cole and Minogue’s performance as judges. He took them aside for a dressing down over being too focused on their clothes and images and failing to make the kind of constructive criticism he demands.

A source close to Miss Minogue said: “Dannii has been upset and did complain to the bosses after the show that she thought it was an undignified way to behave to break the news just before she went on air, but everyone is telling her that she should not take it so personally.”