Louis and Sharon saved in Cowell’s X Factor U-turn
HE HAD planned to reshape his hit Saturday night talent show by bringing in a youth revolution – complete with glamorous young judges – in a bid to lure teenage viewers and boost ratings.
But TV mogul Simon Cowell has been forced into a dramatic U-turn, reinstating long-standing X Factor judges Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne, after being told that the show’s core audience is made up of older music fans.
Walsh and Osbourne, both 65, were informed by Cowell, 58, last week that they would no longer be required, despite being contracted to the ITV talent show for three years. But the network made it
‘Simon will have to stick with what he has got’
clear to the music mogul that it would refuse to pay to release Walsh and Osbourne from their agreements – a figure understood to be £4 million combined – as well as the cost of their replacements.
Cowell’s climbdown came as it emerged that he wants to attract a younger audience to boost the talent show’s ratings, which last year fell to 4.4 million – the lowest in its 13-year history.
But a source close to the show said: ‘ Louis and Sharon have to stay. Both made it clear they were going nowhere and they would fight for their jobs. Not only would the cost to get rid of them run into several million, so would the stars who would take over. It is just not a feasible option, they will be back alongside Simon.
‘But the big issue here is that it means Simon can’t go young again, he can’t get a team of young talent in to appeal to a new audience. Instead, he will have to stick with what he has got –- and accept that his loyal audience is much older than he had believed.’
Cowell is understood to be ‘very picky’ about who takes the fourth judging spot, after sacking Nicole Scherzinger, 39, this week. Cheryl Tweedy, 33, was in line to take over but former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson, 26, is also in contention. He is the only member of the band – formed on the X Factor in 2010 – who has stuck with Cowell for his solo career, signing with his label Syco in 2016.
A source close to Cowell said: ‘The fourth position is very fluid. It is anybody’s right now but Louis has the best chance at the moment.’
Filming is due to start in June.