X Factor’s quit crisis

ED GLEAVE TV Editor THE X Factor is facing a talent drought after a string of its top scouts defected to The Voice.

Insiders say at least six key staff members have switched to the rival show.

And there are fears they may convince some of the best acts they had found to go with them, leaving X Factor in crisis ahead of this summer’s new series.

An ITV source said: “This is great for The Voice because it means they have plenty of talent to choose from.

“But it does mean X Factor could struggle this year, and without good singers there’s a chance interest in the show will wane.”

The X Factor suffered some of the worst ratings in its history last year.

Bosses said “tens of thousands” of wannabes applied for this year’s series.

But that is a fraction of the 200,000 who signed up when X Factor was at its peak in 2010.