Hit shows to continue

Simon Cowell is ready to sign a new deal with ITV for Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor which could be worth up to £150million.

The agreement, which will see both hit shows remain on screen until 2019, has been thrashed out during six months of intensive negotiations.

Bosses hope to confirm the deal at the Edinburgh TV Festival this week.

Sources claimed the return of X Factor favourites Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh, Nicole Scherzinger and host Dermot O’Leary helped seal the deal.

It is believed ITV will not be paying more than they did for the current £150million three-year-deal.

Bosses at the TV station had “played hard ball” and tried to get both shows in a cut- price deal worth far less than the cur rent contract, with the inclusion of various opt- out clauses.

But Cowell ’s team dug their heels in.

An insider close to the negotiations revealed: “Finally, after months of intense talks, all sides are happy and the new deal has been agreed. It just has to be signed of f . A forma l announcement will be made very shortly – hopefully in Edinburgh – as no one is expecting any major hitches.

“X Factor’s poor run last year when it was outperformed by Strictly Come Dancing came at a bad time with the new negotiations for a new deal being due.

“But Simon has played a blinder by going back to basics and bringing back the old gang.”