Rita Ora has revealed her maternal instincts have emerged since meeting Simon Cowell’s young son Eric.

The 24-year-old pop star, who has joined The X Factor judging panel alongside Simon, Nick Grimshaw and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, admitted the 18-month-old tot has made her want to become a mother.

She told The Sun: “I’ve met baby Eric. He is like mini Simon, he’s the cutest thing. Being around him definitely makes me broody.

“I have that motherly instinct, so when I see babies, I’m like, ‘Awww, I want one’.”

While having her own child isn’t on the cards at the moment, Rita said she could feel herself getting motherly over her chosen acts on the ITV show.

The X Factor judges
The new X Factor judges and hosts (Syco/Thames TV)

“I think the maternal instincts will kick in for me and Cheryl, definitely. I’ve never experienced it but Cheryl’s told me that you do start to get really attached to the contestants,” she explained.

“You start to know more about them and their lives, so I’m preparing myself.”

The Poison singer admitted she even started being protective over fellow judge Simon, after some of the female contestants flirted with him.

“I understand the power, it’s Simon with his T-shirt and jeans and all that, I get it,” she said.

“But there’s a limit you have to have, a bit of decorum you need to hold. When it crosses over that line I get protective.

“These judges have started to become really close to me like my family, so I am getting really protective of them. I was like, ‘Keep your hands off him because he’s obviously off the market’. I was serious!”

The new series of The X Factor begins on Saturday, August 29 on ITV.