X Factor ‘AXED’ after 17 years as ‘Simon Cowell pulls plug on talent show’ 

1.1k

View
comments

X Factor has reportedly been axed after 17 years.

Simon Cowell, 61, is said to have pulled the plug on the ITV talent show – which launched in 2004 and last aired in 2018 – because he doesn’t want it to ‘become a bit of a joke.’ 

While around the world the format is still successful, it seems that the music mogul has accepted that in the UK ‘it has become slightly stale’ and so has reportedly decided to ‘shelve it’ for five years, but sources are claiming it’s now ‘unlikely’ to ever return.

A show insider told The Sun: ‘Globally, it is still a phenomenon and rakes in millions every year. But in the UK, there is no question it has become slightly stale.

‘Simon remains at the top of his game and knows how to make a hit. He owns the rights to the show, and it’s his call — not ITV’s — whether or not he drops it. 

‘Clearly the last thing he wants is for X Factor to fizzle out with a whimper and become a bit of a joke — especially in contrast to the show in its pomp.’   

The source explained that there is the option for Simon to return the talent show in 2023, which would see auditions take place next summer, however the entrepreneur is thought to be focused on his new game show Walk The Line.

MailOnline has contacted Fremantle and ITV for comment. 

In March, Dermot O’Leary, 47, told new! magazine of the X Factor: ‘I can’t see it coming back this year. If it does come back, it’ll be 2022 – maybe 2023.’ 

The presenter admitted he is missing filming the show, which launched in 2004, adding: ‘You do miss it, definitely. You work with people for the best part of 10 years and you become a really tight team.  

‘And you do miss the buzz of a Saturday night show. There’s something great about it.’ 

The father-of-one has hosted the show since 2007, taking over from former host Kate Thornton, who was at the helm from 2004–2006. 

Dermot has hosted every series since, aside from in 2015 where he was replaced with former contestant Olly Murs and the late Love Island presenter Caroline Flack. 

Its last traditional series of X Factor aired back in 2018, with judges Simon, Louis Tomlinson, Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda Field on the judging panel. 

Dalton Harris, mentored by former One Direction star Louis, won the series, with Scarlett finishing in second place and Anthony Russell taking third. 

Simon then brought one-off series The X Factor: Celebrity to screens in 2019, which saw famous faces showcase their vocal talents.

Megan McKenna was crowned the winner of the show and landed a record contract with Simon’s major music label, Syco. 

The X Factor was then halted in 2020 when coronavirus hit, rendering it impossible to produce the show, which involves mass gatherings for open public auditions. 

Part of X Factor’s appeal has always been the array of famous faces recruited by Simon to sit with him on the judging panel.  

Louis Walsh sat along Simon for a whopping 13 years, from 2004 to 2018 before stepping away from X Factor. 

Sharon Osbourne took her place as a judge from 2004 to 2007. She rejoined in 2013, though, and once again in 2016.  

Dannii Minogue first appeared on the judging panel in 2007 and remained there for four series, before leaving in 2011. 

Cheryl was an X Factor judge from 2008 to 2011. She then returned for the 2014 and 2015 series.

Tulisa Contostavlos was the youngest X factor judge during her time on the show in 2011 and 2012. 

Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland joined the panel at the same time as Tulisa, in 2011, but only lasted one series. 

From 2011-2013, Take That’s Gary Barlow actually stepped into Simon Cowell’s shoes and replaced him on the judging panel.

Nicole Scherzinger coined the infamous phrase ‘Shermazing’ during her stints on the judging panel from 2012 to 2014, before returning in 2016 and 2017. 

Spice Girl Mel B filled the gap left by Nicole for the 2015 series of X Factor, but Simon decided she was better suited to US audiences and she has since been a judge on America’s Got Talent for five series. 

The same year, popstar Rita Ora and BBC Radio 1’s Nick Grimshaw sat on the judging panel, but both only lasted a single year.  

In 2018 Louis Tomlinson joined the panel along with Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda Field.

While it’s produced huge stars like 1D, Little Mix, Olly Murs and James Arthur, The X Factor has arguably taking a hit in ratings over the last few years. 

X Factor was hit by its lowest ever ratings when the Celebrity series aired its first live show earlier this year.

The ITV series recorded just 2.96 million viewers at one point, and by the last 15 minutes of the Celebrity special, just 2.99 million viewers were left.

Even with a 3.73 million peak, the ratings paled in comparison to the average viewing figures of 14.13 million that the show pulled in at its prime in 2010. 

It marked the lowest ratings since the franchise began in 2004, but sources claim The X Factor still remains the highest watched show for 16 to 34 year olds.

The apparent decision to axe the show comes hot on the heels of former contestants hitting out against the British music industry for ‘exploiting’ and treating them like ‘cattle’ since their overnight rise to fame. 

2010 X Factor star Rebecca Ferguson, 35, has called for an urgent parliamentary inquiry to help protect young and emerging artists and an independent tribunal to hold those responsible for poor treatment within the industry to account. 

Her fellow contestant Cher Lloyd, 27, and double act Jedward, both 29, who appeared on the show the previous year, have also hit out at the industry and claimed they were also poorly treated.

One Direction, made up of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik went on an indefinite hiatus at the peak of their success in 2016. 

Louisa Johnson became The X Factor’s youngest ever winner when she was crowned champion of the 2015 series of the TV talent show. 

Jesy Nelson has recently quit girl band Little Mix – who won the show in 2011 – to help her mental health after the pressure of being in the group started to take its ‘toll’ on her. 

James Arthur shot to fame after competing on the 2012 edition of The X Factor, which he went on to win. 

Olly Murs was runner-up in 2009’s X Factor and has had an incredibly successful career in music since finding fame on the show.  

Shayne Ward won the X-Factor 15 years ago, its second series. After a triumphant music career, he joined ITV soap Coronation Street where he played Aidan Connor until 2018.

Jedward – aka twins John and Edward Grimes – starred on X Factor in 2009, finishing third. Despite being a novelty act, they have gone on to release three albums. 

Alexandra Burke’s big breakthrough came on X Factor in 2008, after she beat JLS in the final and her debut single, Hallelujah, sold 105,000 copies in a day.   

While some X Factor stars went on to earn millions in the spotlight, many of the show’s winners have failed or been dumped from their record labels as their careers floundered.