Fans of reality singing contests will be thrilled to learn that plans are reportedly in motion to revive The X Factor in the UK – after the show last aired on ITV back in 2019
Reports have suggested The X Factor is set for a comeback – eight years after its demise(Image: Tuttle/Thames/Syco/REX/Shutterstock)
The X Factor is set to make a return to the UK, it was claimed tonight. A report has suggested that the iconic talent show could be revived by ITV as soon as next year – after being off the air for nearly seven years.
The long-running singing competition originally aired from 2004 until 2019 and threw a number of unknown acts into the international spotlight – as well as boosting the profiles of the roster of judges. At it’s peak, The X Factor pulled in huge audiences just shy of 20 million viewers.
And TV stars were made out of music producer Sharon Osbourne, boy band fanatic Louis Walsh, Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy, and music mogul Simon Cowell. The show made stars out of Leona Lewis, One Direction and Little Mix – and was a cash cow for ITV.
However, by 2019, interest in the series had waned and the show was axed following a celebrity version of the series that struggled to attract more than 3 million viewers.
Now broadcast bosses are reportedly mulling bringing back the previous hit show – and in a shock move, it appears that 66-year-old Cowell might not be heavily involved and the panel of judges will consist of younger music experts.
It is reported that the network is keen to have a hit after sinking millions into fresh TV formats, including Graham Norton’s The Neighbhourhood and Stephen Mangan’s The Fortune Hotel, which underperformed.
A source told The Sun: “Rather than creating more flop formats they have the opportunity to give The X Factor, a sure-fire hit, a modern makeover.
“They can explore a younger, fresher panel, with new faces and have Cowell behind the scenes. The plan is for the show’s return to take on a new life and be updated to envelop social media generation.
“ITV has shown with programmes like Love Island and I’m A Celebrity . . . that social media is where they can inject massive viewing figures. The X Factor was one of the most iconic shows in TV history and created dozens of stars and household names who are still riding high today.”
The source went on to claim that Talkback Thames, which produced the series, was in talks with ITV bosses about bringing the show back – and that those involved as keen for the series to be a success again. The Mirror has contacted representatives at ITV and Talkback Thames for comment.
Simon Cowell has previously expressed enthusiasm over the concept of the X Factor being exhumed by TV bosses in the UK. The show currently exists in a number of European countries – including Malta and Hungary.
He told the Tales from the Celebrity Trenches podcast: “Yeah, we talk about it a lot. Do you bring it back as X Factor or do you bring it back as the Z Factor?
“There’s still no question, the power of TV in terms of getting people to know an artist. It’s so important if you’re not writing your own material. The truth is there’s something about being on a big screen. You hear about these artists who break online, but so rarely.
“Truth is, I guess, thank God, people like being on TV.”
ITV has enjoyed some success in reviving former TV shows after they were off the air for a relatively short time. The channel brought back Big Brother in 2023 – just five years after it had been axed by Channel 5. The show pulled in it’s highest ratings in a decade when revived – attracting over 2.5 million viewers when it aired on ITV2.
However, ratings had dropped to less than one million by the time the 2025 season aired. The show is set to return next month for the fourth season in the ITV run – which will be the 23rd season of the show since it first aired back in the year 2000.
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