ITV is reportedly set to revive its flagship music competition, The X Factor, following years off British screens.
According to reports initially broken by The Sun, network executives are currently locked in talks with production giant Fremantle to bring the show back to Saturday night television.
First airing in 2004, the series went on a prolonged hiatus after its 2019 season. However, ITV bosses are eager to inject fresh energy into their entertainment schedule.
While creator Simon Cowell is expected to remain involved behind the scenes, producers are reportedly aiming to overhaul the front-facing panel. A source told The Sun: “They can explore a younger, fresher panel, with new faces and have Cowell behind the scenes”.
The insider added that securing Cowell’s involvement in any capacity remains vital to the brand: “Getting Simon on board is a huge coup in its own right as he is, after all, the man who was always at the heart of the show during the 15 years that X Factor was on our screens”.
A Pipeline for Global Superstars
During its original 15-year run, The X Factor was far more than a Saturday night entertainment show—it was a hit-making machine that permanently reshaped pop culture.
The format produced some of the biggest musical acts in modern history, most notably:
One Direction: Formed in 2010 after finishing third, the group became one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
Little Mix: The first group to win the UK show in 2011, going on to dominate global charts for a decade.
Leona Lewis: Winner of Season 3, whose smash hit “Bleeding Love” topped charts in over 30 countries.
Olly Murs, JLS, & Alexandra Burke: Multi-platinum recording artists who launched hugely successful multi-decade careers off the back of the show.
From British Reality TV to a Global Franchise
The success of the UK original spawned an enormous international media empire. Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment exported The X Factor format to over 50 territories worldwide.
The US adaptation ran for three seasons on Fox, featuring judges such as Britney Spears and Demi Lovato, and famously launched the career of Fifth Harmony. Local versions dominated airwaves across Europe, Australia, Latin America, and Asia, proving the show’s audition-to-live-shows formula could be replicated across diverse musical markets.
If negotiations progress, the revamped UK series aims to recapture that original phenomenon for a new gene ration of viewers. And it could spell the end of The Voice UK which is struggling in the ratings.