The axe factor... ITV pulls plug on Cowell’s big comeback show
SIMON COWELL’S 20-year reign as the king of primetime TV appears to be over, as ITV is to axe his latest project, Walk The Line.
The entertainment mogul hoped the musical game show would help him rediscover his Midas touch with viewers. Instead, audiences plunged to as low as 1.8million during its sixnight run last month. ITV chiefs are understood to have ruled out a second series.
Cowell is unlikely to be surprised given that underwhelmed executives decided to air the show across the week, rather than in the coveted Saturday night slot he had dominated since Pop Idol launched in 2001.
The 62-year-old – who enjoyed huge success with The X Factor, which ran for 15 series until 2018 – was so infuriated that he decided not to sit on the judging panel and was replaced by Gary Barlow.
An insider said: ‘After The X Factor ended, Walk The Line was the show Simon hoped would save him. Alas, that wasn’t to be, and it
won’t be back.’ The decision marks the end of an era in which Cowell could virtually name his price to TV executives eager for big ratings.
Earlier this month, Cowell – who recently announced his engagement to long-term partner Lauren Silverman – wound down his firm, Syco Entertainment, and laid off its staff. He had already closed down
the music arm of his empire. Cowell has increasingly been overshadowed by Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly. Their latest show, Limitless Win, is attracting five million viewers and sources say the duo are producing two new formats they hope to sell to ITV, although they will not star in them.
‘They are turning from presenting
to creating shows,’ said one source. ‘They have some exciting stuff up their sleeves.’
Cowell is, however, currently filming the next series of Britain’s Got Talent for ITV, which is presented by Ant and Dec.
An ITV spokesman said: ‘No decisions have been made on the future of the series at this point.’