Simon Cowell has confirmed there will be two series of The X Factor this year in a bid to boost ratings.
The music mogul – who launched the ITV singing competition in 2004 – has opened up about the future of the show after it was reported it would be undergoing drastic changes in 2019, including claims it would be axed in favour of a celebrity edition.
Responding to the speculation, Simon told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “I want to clear up any myths — because I’ve got some exciting news. I’ve had a meeting with ITV, I’ve told them what I think we’d like to do with X Factor because we’ve been waiting to have this opportunity.”
He continued: “The time feels right, and it will be a huge change. We haven’t exactly confirmed the dates or the order of the shows, but essentially there are going to be two versions of X Factor running this year. I think it’s going to be huge, it’s the best I’ve felt about this show in years.”
Simon, 59, revealed the overhaul will result in both a celebrity version, and an all-star edition with past contestants.
But he also insisted no deal has been signed yet as his team and ITV figure out the details for new five-year contracts.
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Opening up on the challenges, he joked that putting on the show for months is “like putting on a soap opeara every year”.
Si added that he doesn’t want to give too much away at this stage because of his “competitors”, such as rival ITV singing contest The Voice.
The show’s boss also opened up on his plans for the panel for the new formats and he is hopeful last year’s judges, Louis Tomlinson, Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda Field, will be back.
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Simon confessed he is already in talks with pop legend Robbie.
He said: “I think and hope the panel will be the same. I’m literally speaking to Robbie tonight because he’s been busy, I’ve been filming, so I’ll have more news again on that soon.”
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