The X Factor set for TV return after seven years off air
ITV is reportedly in talks with Fremantle to revive The X Factor after seven years off-air, with executives plotting a younger judging panel and Simon Cowell potentially returning behind the scenes. Neither ITV nor Fremantle has confirmed the reboot, but insiders say the talent factor that launched One Direction could be updated for the social media generation. Talkback Thames executives have reportedly held discussions with ITV chiefs who are said to be super-keen on a comeback.
Key Takeaways
- ITV and Fremantle are in early talks to bring back The X Factor, which ended in 2019 after 15 years on screen.
- A revamped format could feature younger, fresher judges with Cowell working behind the scenes.
- Executives at Talkback Thames have reportedly discussed the comeback with ITV chiefs and are eager to proceed.
- Former finalist Wagner says the show's magic may be impossible to recreate in today's fragmented, social-media-driven TV landscape.
- Sky has separately commissioned a documentary exploring the highs and lows of the franchise, with Cowell set to participate.
Why is The X Factor returning now?
After celebrity and band spin-offs, ITV dropped The X Factor in 2019 following a 15-year run that began in 2004. Seven years later, executives appear keen to restore a format that minted household names including Little Mix, Olly Murs and Rylan Clark.
A source told The Sun that Talkback Thames has held discussions with ITV chiefs about a comeback. Both ITV and Fremantle declined to comment when approached by reporters.
What would a revamped X Factor look like?
According to insiders cited by TV Zone UK, the plan centres on a younger, fresher judging panel with new faces on screen. Simon Cowell, who was at the heart of the show throughout its original run, could return in a behind-the-scenes role rather than as an on-air judge.
The source said executives want the format updated to embrace the social media generation. That shift matters because audiences no longer gather around a single Saturday-night broadcast the way they once did — a transformation we track across our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.
Could The X Factor ever recreate its past success?
Former contestant Wagner, who became the show's oldest finalist at age 53 during the 2010 series, offered a blunt assessment. Speaking to the Mirror, the now 69-year-old said a moment like his could never happen again.
"There were only five channels, everybody was gathering around the TV," Wagner explained. "There was no Facebook, no social media invasion... and that's why it could never happen again." His comments underscore the central challenge facing any X Factor revival: the monoculture that made the show a national event has fragmented beyond recognition.
What else is happening with the X Factor brand?
Separately, Sky announced earlier this year that it has commissioned a premium documentary series exploring the franchise's highs and lows. The project will feature interviews with those closest to the show, including Cowell — a move one source described as giving other famous alumni implicit permission to participate.
Reports in 2022 also suggested a separate documentary was in development examining allegations of bullying and harassment experienced by former contestants. Whether a reboot and these retrospective projects arrive together remains unclear, but the X Factor name is clearly back in circulation.