Simon Cowell on ‘The X Factor UK’: “We’ve lost sight of the contestants”
BBC Reading Time: 2 minutes
After the recent announcement that Robbie Williams and Ayda Field will not be returning to The X Factor UK, Simon Cowell has spoken out about the future of the show. According to him, it’s because “we’ve lost sight of the contestants.”
So what will the future of The X Factor UK look like? Let’s see what Simon had to say about it.
Simon confessed that he has spent too much time and money trying to put together the perfect judging panel. He revealed that he wants to shift the focus from the ever-changing judges to focus more on the contestants.
“It was no secret it was millions and millions of pounds. I am going to be really honest with you, and this is no disrespect to Robbie or anyone else who has been on the panel, my focus this year is mainly about the people who are coming on the show to compete. I’m probably talking myself out of a job here, but I think there has been so much emphasis on the judges.”
Simon also described this shift as “complete nonsense.” He says that he has “lost sight” of what makes The X Factor UK stand out–the contestants! Simon isn’t sure whether Louis Tomlinson will return to the panel this year but he said he will “respect” his decision either way.
The executive producer’s decision is yet another attempt to the revive the shows after struggling in ratings. The X Factor UK has been losing to Strictly Come Dancing for some years now. Last year, he expected the new judging panel to help with that, but of course, it didn’t.
Now, he’s taking a different approach. And focusing on contestants has worked well for him in the past! On American Idol, for instance, the judges had a pretty small role. The bulk of the show was about the singers and their performances. That also brought along actual stars after the show, from Kelly Clarkson to Carrie Underwood.
So this could be a great overhaul for The X Factor UK! But as much as Simon tries to hide it, we know this is a last ditch effort. We’re not holding out breath.
