[Jordan.]

Simon Cowell plans to sign Robbie Williams as a fifth X Factor judge.

The move is one of a raft of changes to the ratings-topping show.

Cowell has warned he’ll take the series OFF AIR if ITV *bosses don’t cough up the extra £300,000 a week he needs for the revamp, which also *includes:

 ADDING a fifth judge to the line-up to avoid *heavily-criticised *deadlocks.

 UPPING the number of finalists from 12 to 16.

 EXTENDING the series by a month.

 MOVING the live shows to London’s Wembley Arena

 REPLACING Dannii with a new female judge.

As the two remaining acts prepared to go head-to-head tonight, Cowell said: “A lot of things are going to change next year if we bring the show back. The show needs to change or it starts to fail.


“I like Robbie Williams. He’d make a good judge. He’s fun, he’s got good *instincts, he doesn’t take himself too seriously and he’s a fun guy to be around.”


Tonight a record of more than 20 million viewers are expected to tune in as The X Factor reaches its dramatic climax.


Cowell wants to axe Dannii, 38, because he is fed up of being upstaged by Kylie’s younger sister.


A source said: “Simon has a downer on Dannii. He says he wants women to be feisty and opinionated but when they are he doesn’t like it.


“He doesn’t feel in control. At the *moment he can’t stand her.”


The show’s current home at Fountain Studios can seat 600 fans a week but the Arena, which is just five minutes away, can hold up to 12,000 fans a night. The plans to switch venue would cost ITV an extra £300,000 a week, which Cowell is in the process of negotiating.

But Cowell yesterday warned he would axe The X Factor for good if the budget demands weren’t met.


“If we didn’t reach a deal with ITV then I would simply take a break – it’s as simple as that,” he said. “I wouldn’t work for *anyone else apart from ITV.


“I’m not looking for a pay rise. All I’ve asked for is an increase in budget. We need to hire more dancers and stylists. We need more people working on the show and that costs money. I need that commitment from ITV.”


Despite the threat Cowell assured fans he would be back on the panel if the deal is hammered out.


He also plans to sit on the panel of the US version of the X Factor when it launches in 2011. “I’m looking at a lot of ideas of how to make things better, what works and what doesn’t,” he added.


“I’m not going to step down. I like being on the show because at the end of the day you can protect the whole process.


“I have a lot at stake and when you sit there you can get involved and that’s probably the best thing about being a judge.


“My gut feeling is that X Factor will be on US TV in 18 months and I would like to be on the panel, that’s the plan.”


The success of the show, which has pulled in 14 million viewers twice a week over three months, has helped turn around the fortunes of ITV and the show has trounced BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in the winter ratings battle.


Cowell said the ballroom series had become victim of its own success and spent too much time copying the X Factor rather than focusing on its own brand.


“We didn’t get involved in a silly ratings war with the BBC which I think helped us,” he said. “We just looked at our own show and forgot about them.


“I saw too many elements of our show in their show. You don’t need to do that. They took themselves too seriously and they shot themselves in the foot.”


The winner of tonight’s show will be decided on the public’s vote alone. And they will include votes cast last night, prior to the third act being sent home.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...5875-21893116/

sounds like he basically doesnt give a **** about our X Factor and cant wait till the American Version, And hes getting rid of Dannii cause she upstages him well its not her fault shes the best judge, what a joke.

[Patrick]

That line at the start..
"We need to change the show or its gona fail"
They`ve gone 5 Years without changing it.
They changed it this year surely it should stop changing until another few years.

God sometimes I think Simon is a legend, other times I want to kick his teeth in.

Robbie is wicked though

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Patrick

That line at the start..
"We need to change the show or its gona fail"
They`ve gone 5 Years without changing it.
They changed it this year surely it should stop changing until another few years.

God sometimes I think Simon is a legend, other times I want to kick his teeth in.

Robbie is wicked though

He's being clever, the past two years he's changed the show in some way and they've both been rampant successes while the fourth series was a bit of a damp squib in comparision.

I want Dannii to stay but I wouldn't mind robbie as a 5th judge.

[Jack_]

I can certainly see him extending it by a month. To have it starting in July towards the start of the summer holidays would be perfect, and the right move.

With the amount of times Robbie has now appeared this year I can see this being true as well. Not sure whether he should be a judge though. Oh, and four judges are fine.

[Billy]

I actually believe that he can't stand Dannii atm.

[xDramatick]

Noo! I'd hate Robbie on the panel and no Dannii!

[WOMBAI]

Simon Cowell is a prime example of money and fame going to ones head! He certainly has a hughly overrated opinion of both himself and the show! I hope they don't give in to the spoilt diva! The show is only going to continue going downhill anyway - just like bb.

Funny how he continuely replaces female juges with younger ones (sexist pig) - whilst the male ones become older and more decrepid by the week! Don't like Robbie Williams - so don't see him as any kind of improvement! Really don't care what happens to it now!

[Tom]

The way to end deadlock is to axe a judge. Adding another one is daft, 4 is too many as it is!

If most of those changes happen, I certainly won't watch it any more. Theres only so much you can change before the public won't like it anymore. Look at Big Brother.

[Jordan.]

Originally Posted by Tom

Theres only so much you can change before the public won't like it anymore. Look at Big Brother.

Thats what i was thinking, dont fix something unless it needs fixing.