Simon Cowell will return to this year’s ‘X Factor’ to help boost the show’s poor ratings.
The music mogul has been based in America for the past two years and has been concentrating on making ‘X Factor’ a success in the USA.
However, bosses in ITV are worried about the poor ratings so far in this series and are pushing for Simon’s return to ‘X Factor’ UK.
According to The Irish Daily Mirror, executive producer Richard Holloway said Simon would be appear “in some guise, somewhere” in this season of the show.
Tulisa Contostavlos, Louis Walsh, Nicole Scherzinger and Dermot O’Leary at the X Factor launch party
When asked to elaborate he said: “That would be giving it away, wouldn’t it? That’s all I’m prepared to say – it’s not a hologram.”
‘X Factor’ bosses have already filmed Simon assigning categories to Louis Walsh, Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos and Nicole Scherzinger.
Richard Holloway said Simon’s relocation to the USA is problematic.
“He moves over there lock, stock and barrel, he stays over there. He doesn’t like to-ing and fro-ing across two continents,” he said.
An ‘X Factor’ insider confirmed that Simon’s return to the series is seriously being considered.
“Simon’s return is being looked at, certainly. Elements of that have already been filmed and he will definitely appear at the stage where the judges find out which contestants they will be looking after. We hope there will be more.
Little Mix won X Factor last year
“The only difficulty is with Simon being based in the US. The plan is for him to be a significant on-screen part of the show. He’s a big favourite with viewers.
Meanwhile, Mr. Holloway, who recently became head of Thames Television, which also promotes ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, slammed BBC1’s ‘The Voice’ for being full of gimmicks.
“The gimmick of the chairs was a nice neat twist but once you got over that and the auditions it doesn’t really add much more to that, does it?
“I’m not being bitchy but it’s sort of like a pale version of what we do,” he said.
The producer said he is not concerned about ‘X Factor’s’ dip in ratings after the show premiered earlier this month.
“The audience for out first show was over double that of our next nearest programme.
“We would have liked it to be bigger. However, it’s still the number one show.
“Viewers are in for a real treat over the next three months,” said Holloway.
