Louis and Sharon still have X Factor
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 television mogul Simon Cowell has been forced into a dramatic U-turn, reinstating longstanding X Factor judges Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne, after being told that the show’s core audience is made up of older music fans than he had thought.
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 clear to the music mogul that it would refuse to pay to release Walsh and Osbourne from their agreements – a figure understood to be £4million (€4.5million) 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, as would the cost for stars who would take over. It is just not a feasible option; they will be back alongside Simon.’
Cowell is understood to be ‘very picky’ about who takes the fourth judging spot, after sacking Nicole Scherzinger, 39, this week.
Singer Cheryl Tweedy, 33, was in line to take over but former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson, 26, is also in contention.