Simon Cowell (61) has decided to quit ‘The X Factor’ after 17 years. The talent show was the launching pad for One Direction, Little Mix and Leona Lewis.
At its peak, about 10 million viewers in the United Kingdom watched the program, but the reality series has had to deal with declining ratings in recent years.
Cowell was the mastermind behind the show in which amateur singers compete for a record deal. In addition, he also acted as the main jury in an ever-changing panel. “Simon stays at the top of his game and knows how to score a goal,” said a source. “He owns the rights to the show. Therefore, he decides to stop the show, not ITV’s (the channel on which the program was broadcast, ed.). He wants to stop before The X Factor becomes a big joke.”
“Globally, it is still a phenomenon that brings in millions every year,” the insider continues. “But in the UK, it has undoubtedly gotten a bit old. ITV also confirmed that there are no plans for a new season of The X Factor in the UK. The UK.
Simon Cowell will now focus on launching a brand new game show called Walk The Line. According to one source, it resembles a musical version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?. However, the show is not labelled as the replacement for The X Factor.
The X Factor first aired in the UK in 2004; then, Steve Brookstein was crowned the very first winner. Since then, artists such as One Direction, Little Mix, JLS and Leona Lewis have stormed the charts after gaining fame thanks to the talent show. The format also came to Flanders for a while and got two seasons. In 2005 it was presented by Koen Wauters and in 2008 by Hadise. The runner-up in the second season was Tom Dice.
