[Firewire]

According to Fat W*otton, they've axed All Stars in favour of a series looking for a new band to compete with Little Mix's show for the BBC.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbi...ix-rival-show/

SIMON Cowell today declares war on his former protégées Little Mix — by launching a rival to the girl band’s BBC talent show.

The music mogul has decided to axe the X Factor All Stars series ITV planned to launch next month, featuring ex winners such as Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke.

Instead, he will premiere a show called X Factor The Band to find a new girl group and boy band. It is direct competition to the Little Mix BBC1 prime time show The Search, which will launch early next year.

But in an exclusive interview with The Sun, Cowell — who no longer represents Little Mix because of a feud with their managers — last night insisted HE came up with the idea FIRST.

He said: “This is what really happened. I was approached to co-produce that show last year by Little Mix’s management.

“I told them the problem was we have a conflict of interest because we are launching X Factor The Band in 2020. We were told their show was going to launch in 2021.

“Then we had the fallout and find out Little Mix were bringing their show forward. Was that intentional because we are doing our show? I have no idea.

“But regardless, it was too much fun not to do this year. I would rather it was us doing it first.

“It 100 per cent makes it more exciting there being a battle.”

Cowell has also hit back at claims he has a health issue or that his Syco business is in crisis after he cancelled his 60th bash last week.

He said: “When I cancelled my birthday party it was written I was in some sort of crisis mode. You know what? I can do a birthday party at the end of the year.

“I wanted to make this week’s show better and that means you’ve got to roll your sleeves up and put in a lot of work. But it’s been great fun.”

When asked if his health was OK after a dramatic weight loss sparked by a vegan diet, he insisted: “I’m OK. I swear to God I’m having the time of my life.

"It reminds me of when we first started. People have just got bored of the obvious thing to do. I’m happy that we took that risk.

“Our business is getting bigger than ever before. So when people were talking about me being worried, it’s actually me being more excited and working harder.”

Louis Walsh and Paula Abdul, who had been signed to judge X Factor All Stars, are expected to be axed, with new judges hired.

Auditions will take place soon at Sony Music in London, with the live finals being held at Birmingham Arena in the week the country goes to the polls in December.

“It’s the week of the General Election. So it will be the perfect antidote to the doom and gloom,” Cowell said.

He wants to find a new pop phenomenon to compete with Korean K-Pop acts such as the top-selling boy band BTS.

He said: “K-Pop is ruling the world. This is a show to find a band to launch UK-Pop. It’s more than winning a record contract, it’s starting a new music wave.

“Every group will be put together by us — just like One Direction, Little Mix and Fifth Harmony. It’s people who represent Britain’s version of K-Pop. That was always our plan. We’ve just brought it forward a bit.”

Cowell also lashed out at rumours ITV could be preparing to axe X Factor, insisting a new deal with the broadcaster is days away. He said: “By next week we’ll announce it. It’s already been agreed. It includes Got Talent.

“There is every possibility next year there could be three X Factor shows — Celebrity, All Stars and another group show.

“The important thing about why ITV is supporting us is that it’s the young people watching us. The 16 to 34 viewership on X Factor Celebrity is enormous — even bigger than Love Island.

"ITV are thrilled. There’s a lot of confidence back in the format now.”

Cowell added that rivals to ITV had tried to purchase both Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor.

He said: “We get offers all the time to buy these shows. We’ve had offers from streaming companies paying a lot more money than ITV to buy the show.

"But we have a great relationship with ITV.

“The Celebrity show is going to start catching on because I’ve got a feeling. I love this show.”

[Firewire]

Apologies for the Sun link, it's the only one I can see at the moment

[Denver]

Have they not already started selling tickets for All stars?

[Denver]

Mess at Louis and Paula being sacked

[Denver]

Simon really does want ITV to pull the plug huh

[Ross.]

What a ****ing mess

Just axe it

[Firewire]

I'm HOWLING

[Ross.]

Only Cheryl can save this show!

[Morgan.]

Originally Posted by WickedSkengMan

Have they not already started selling tickets for All stars?

No, the dates are still TBC

[Cherie]

Where are the auditionees coming from

[Firewire]

Originally Posted by WickedSkengMan

Have they not already started selling tickets for All stars?

No, also tickets are free so it wouldn't be an issue even if they had been released.

[Firewire]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Where are the auditionees coming from

They're starting auditions soon at Sony offices in London, I don't think they're being filmed.

[LukeB]

I think he couldn't get who he wanted for all stars so he axed it for the band.

[Ross.]

They made this show for Samira to get better group members

[Firewire]

Yeah, they're worried Sam Bailey, Jedward and Honey G aren't enough to pull in the viewers.

[Firewire]

Originally Posted by Ross.

They made this show for Samira to get better group members

TEA!

[Black Dagger]

Screaming.

What is the point? The Little Mix show will barely hit 3m viewers itself.

[Ross.]

“The Celebrity show is going to start catching on because I’ve got a feeling. I love this show.”

Screaming at the delusion

[LukeB]

“There is every possibility next year there could be three X Factor shows — Celebrity, All Stars and another group show.

it doesn't get the ratings anymore. last night got 3.1 and with the ratings getting lower each week it could be in the 2 million next week which isn't good.

[Denver]

The X Factor is dead because Sikon fixes results for his liking for instant making Nicole chose one of his acts last night

[LukeB]

Originally Posted by Firewire

Yeah, they're worried Sam Bailey, Jedward and Honey G aren't enough to pull in the viewers.

Leona Lewis saying no getting it axed?


I would love to know who they actually asked.

[Tony Montana]

Just axe this show already ffs!

[Denver]

Originally Posted by LukeB

Leona Lewis saying no getting it axed?


I would love to know who they actually asked.

The article says Leona and Alexandra were signed up

[Wizard.]

Boo I was only sticking with this sh*t for the possibility of Leona and Alexandra going head to head. I’m done!

[MB.]

Treyc Cohen pulled out?