Simon Cowell’s The X Factor dropped after 17 years

The X Factor has been dropped after 17 years on ITV.

It has been reported by multiple outlets that the Simon Cowell-produced series that discovered One Direction, JLS, Olly Murs and Little Mix, among others, will not be returning to ITV as planned. Cowell apparently had a role in shelving the show for the foreseeable future.

A spokesperson for ITV told Digital Spy: “There are no current plans for the next series of The X Factor at this stage.”

ITV boss Kevin Lygo had said at last year’s Edinburgh TV Festival that The X Factor would not return following a multi-year hiatus in 2021, but insisted it would “be back at some stage”.

The X Factor averaged more than 14 million viewers at the height of its popularity, but its fortunes fell at ITV as viewership steadily dwindled.

After it was pulled from the schedules for 2019, X Factor presenter Dermot O’Leary admitted he wasn’t entirely sure it would be right to bring the show back.

“I’m in two minds, because half of me thinks there’s a reason why we rested it, because we were doing the same thing but then again, there is a real sense of simplicity to that show I love, which is great singers and great characters,” he told the Radio Times.

“It’s a celebration of British eccentricity! Let’s just get them out there and see where we end up.”

Simon Cowell remains involved with ITV as the channel only recently announced he would produce a new musical gameshow called Walk The Line.

The format will feature a variety of solo or musical groups competing for money and prizes from a panel of musical experts.