SIMON Cowell has flooded the charts with talent show acts over the years and the signs are he wants more gold discs for his walls.
The music and telly mogul is set to agree a new five-year deal with ITV this week which will include five series of Britain’s Got Talent and one of The X Factor — which will come as a relief to his fellow judge Nicole Scherzinger.
Simon is yet to make a decision as to which version of the singing show will run in 2020 following the experiments with new shows The X Factor: Celebrity and The X Factor: The Band, which airs for the first time at 8.30pm tonight.
But I’m told the likelihood will be a return to traditional format of transforming members of the public into chart stars.
An X Factor insider said: “Simon has been in talks with ITV for some time and bosses there are keen to cement a new deal.
“There has been interest from streaming sites and other stations but terrestrial television has always been the most natural fit.
BGT is a natural ratings winner, so that was always going to be the choice long term, but The X Factor clearly is at a crossroads.
“A one-year deal with an option of further series seemed a sensible conclusion.”
One Direction, JLS, Little Mix, Leona Lewis, Olly Murs and James Arthur are the biggest finds since The X Factor began way back in 2004.
But the success rate has dried up in recent years, with the last act to do any damage to the charts being 2012 winner James.
Simon and Nicole, pictured in the new series as the only two judges on the panel, will be hoping the group they discover from The X Factor: The Band could change all that.
They’ve certainly been cracking the whip in auditions over the past week, with Simon showing glimpses of his Mr Nasty side returning and coming up with some pretty cutting feedback.
Fingers crossed his high-waisted trousers will be making a comeback too.
CAROLINE Flack has moved on from her relationship with Andrew Brady – but he has hit a problem trying to do the same thing.
To mark the first anniversary of their split, the former Apprentice candidate covered up her initials etched on his wrist with a tattoo of Australia.
But the love rat has told friends the new inking has now become infected.
Last week, before getting his latest tatt, Andrew slammed Caroline, claiming their “toxic”, short-lived romance almost killed him and described his “CF” mark as an “absolute monstrosity”.
I think that’s what they call karma . . .
ANNE-MARIE put on a little black dress for a Christmas party with her fans last night.
The 2002 singer showed her stripes ahead of her set at last night’s Jingle Bell Ball at London’s O2 Arena.
Also on the bill were Sam Smith, Tom Walker, Mabel, AJ Tracey and The Script.
Taylor Swift headlined Capital FM’s annual show for a third time.
Christmas came early for the Shake It Off singer after Forbes mag named her the top-earning artist of 2019, banking more than £140million. And that’s despite her underwhelming album Lover.
RYAN Reynolds had to jump out of the way to avoid being flattened after excited fans caused a barrier to collapse. The Deadpool star was in Sao Paulo, Brazil, for Comic Con at the weekend and was greeting punters.
KYLIE Jenner might just be the most out of touch person I’ve come across.
The reality star is refusing to drive a £750,000 Rolls-Royce gifted to her by boyfriend Travis Scott because she doesn’t like the colour.
He got her the brown Rolls for her 22nd birthday – but only he has been behind the wheel since August.
A Kardashian source said: “Kylie was extra frustrated as she thought the rapper was going to propose.”
She doesn’t know she’s born.
LEWIS Capaldi gave fans an early Christmas treat with a free Greggs. The Someone You Loved crooner picked up the tab for the 2,500 people who saw his O2 Academy gig in Glasgow on Saturday. He said: “As a thank you I’ve put a tab behind the local Greggs for you all.The Bakes are on me!”
THE Favourite, starring Olivia Colman, picked up three gongs at the European Film Awards. The Brit bagged Best Actress while the movie was named Film Of The Year and Yorgos Lanthimos won Best European Director. Antonio Banderas took home Best Actor for Pain And Glory.
NICK Cannon has defended his ex Mariah Carey, below, after Eminem released new song Lord Above, which takes aim at her. Pointing out that the rapper was 47, he said he needed medication for erectile dysfunction and added: “Get out your wheelchair Eminem and pop whatever you pop.”
LIAM Payne has done the classic pop star swerve for when a record does badly. He told Sunday Brunch yesterday he “doesn’t judge success by sales any more”. Yeah, right. The ex-1D singer’s new album, LP1, took a pasting from critics. The charts won’t be for pleasant reading for him.
