Has ITV brought in this woman to kill the ailing X Factor?
IT WAS once the most-watched programme on British TV – but rumours are growing that Simon Cowell’s X Factor could be facing the chop after ITV appointed a new executive looking to make changes.
Insiders have been increasingly questioning the future of the talent show as its viewing figures plummet. Once it drew an audience of almost 20 million, but last week’s celebrity version attracted fewer than 4 million.
And tonight the usual Sunday results show has, humiliatingly, been dropped in favour of game show Catchphrase.
Now there is growing speculation that ITV’s new head of entertainment, Katie Rawcliffe, is ready to pull the plug on the show after more than 15 years.
The executive – who began her TV career as a researcher on another talent show, Stars In Their Eyes – is said to favour a ‘kinder’ sort of television, away from the sometimes barbed comments for which The X Factor judges, including Cowell, have become known. Miss Rawcliffe is also not as close to Cowell as her predecessor, Siobhan Greene, who helped the mogul set up his Syco entertainment empire, which makes The X Factor, in 2003. She left ITV last month to set up her own production company,
A source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Katie’s brief is to find new formats and new shows. She’s very bright and wants to modernise the entertainment on ITV’s schedule.
‘She is breaking up the old guard and looking forward to making her mark. Simon used to hold all the cards when it came to his deals, but now it isn’t such a one-way street.’
Miss Rawcliffe, who previously worked for the broadcaster’s programme-making arm ITV Studios, takes her new job as X Factor: Celebrity tanks in the ratings.
Featuring the likes of journalist Martin Bashir and ex-footballer Vinnie Jones, last Saturday’s episode recorded its lowest ever audience of 3.9 million. In contrast, BBC One rival Strictly Come Dancing attracted 9.2 million viewers.
Despite reports over the summer that a new three-year deal between ITV and Syco was ‘close to being signed’, no new agreement has yet been announced. Previously, Cowell’s contracts have been signed more than a year before the previous deal expired, but sources say ITV chiefs are being more cautious this time.
However, the channel is unlikely to want to risk losing Britain’s Got Talent – another Cowell programme which drew audiences of more than 8 million earlier this year – should there be any bust-up over ditching The X Factor.
Cowell has made no secret of the challenges facing the singing com
‘Cowell used to hold all the cards – not any more’
petition. Earlier this year, he announced plans to revive his brand, saying: ‘We are not resting on our laurels. I would never want to sit and watch a show like The X Factor slowly fade away and fail.’
Despite the troubles facing his f o r mer flagship s h o w, o t h e r projects developed by Cowell, 60, have enjoyed success. The Greatest Dancer will return for its second BBC series in January and America’s Got Talent is one the most popular shows in the US.
A source close to Cowell last night said he remained confident of a deal and both Syco and ITV said talks were ongoing.