Leona Lewis is being lined-up to appear as a guest on the next series of American Idol.

Manager Simon Cowell, 48, reckons the show will provide the perfect platform for The X Factor winner to launch her bid to crack the States.

‘We always like to invite established guests onto the show to give the contestants an idea of the level they need to reach,’ says a show insider.

‘Leona, with her incredible voice, fits the bill perfectly.’

And the 22-year-old is excited about making a name for herself over the pond.

‘It’s really exciting but I’m just taking one step at a time,’ she tells the Daily Star. ‘It’s a fresh start for me over there because they won’t know me from X Factor.

‘Things don’t just fall on your lap, you must always remember that. You have to keep at it for success.’

American Idol - which is shown in the UK on ITV2 - starts on 15 January in America.

But Leona isn’t expected to appear on the show until the live studio finals.

Source: Now Magazine