Simon Cowell Reached Out To NBC To Find a New Home for X Factor

In a new The Hollywood Reporter analysis on what went wrong with the US version of the X Factor, the industry rag reports that Simon Cowell reached out to NBC to find a new home for his beleaguered singing competition!

“Simon himself was involved in this process,” says an executive familiar with the approach on behalf of Cowell’s Syco production company and partner FremantleMedia. (A Cowell source vehemently denies a pitch was made, adding, “Fox and Syco/Fremantle looked at plausible other options in the U.S. without him but decided these weren’t viable.”) But NBC already has The Voice and the Cowell-produced America’s Got Talent — and, more importantly, X Factor was damaged goods.

Of course NBC passed. Why would they add another singing show to their schedule while the two-cycle a year The Voice continues to bring in high ratings?  I don’t think there’s a chance in hell the show will come back to FOX after a “rest” either, even if the latest winners, Alex & Sierra manage to break on the charts.

Here are some sobering statistics from THR. No wonder FOX cancelled the show.

X Factor raked in an estimated $500 million during its first season, according to Kantar Media, plus a lucrative two-year, $60 million sponsorship deal with Pepsi. But by season two, that ad money had declined more than 20 percent to $386 million. And during the first 11 months of 2013, X Factor generated slightly more than $139 million, compared with American Idol’s $596 million and Voice’s $565 million (the latter airs two cycles a year). Making matters worse, Pepsi declined to renew its sponsorship deal for X Factor’s third season, as did Chevrolet, though Fox sales execs lured Honda and Procter & Gamble to replace them.

Hilariously, Simon told a UK publication that it was always “[the] plan to do three years” of X Factor in the US. For now, he’ll leave LA, maintaining homes in New York City (where his pregnant girlfriend resides) and London. In the meantime, Simon may join the panel of America’s Got Talent next season. If Howard Stern were to leave, Simon would be a natural replacement. Although, I don’t think he’d be the better panelist. Simon’s “grumpy uncle” act, as THR put it, has passed its time.

Via The Hollywood Reporter

About mj santilli 34869 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!