[Kerry]

Simon Cowell and ITV are reportedly warring over the next UK series of The X Factor.

According to The Mail On Sunday, the 51-year-old music mogul is refusing to confirm whether he will return to the X Factor judging panel this year after ITV bosses rejected his suggestion to take the show off the air until 2012.

The publication claims that Cowell originally proposed an X Factor "gap year" so that he could concentrate on launching a greatly-anticipated US edition of the show, arguing that the break would revitalise the eighth UK series following the numerous controversies of the 2010 competition.

However, chiefs at the channel are allegedly refusing to sacrifice the highly profitable programme, having already factored advertising and phone-line income into its financial projections.

A source explained: "Simon wanted to give The X Factor a year off, but ITV were adamant it must be on because it is crucial to their finances. Not having X Factor would be devastating to ITV’s income but also its audience share.

"ITV needs to demonstrate that it is still a viable market player. The two shows that deliver audiences on the scale they need are both Simon Cowell’s – The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent.

"ITV needs Simon Cowell, even though they hate to admit it. The shows are built around him. Without Cowell they are just talent shows."

30-second advertising spots in the live X Factor final last year sold for £250,000, helping ITV rake in £12 million in revenue from the last weekend of the show alone. Cowell's compromise of having the programme return in January 2012 is thought to have been turned down as it would skip the lucrative Christmas season.

It was reported this week that none of the show's judging panel have signed up for the next series, even though auditions begin in a matter of weeks.

Cowell's hesitance is also thought to be retaliation for ITV's decision to pass on a new Top Of The Pops-style format from his production company Syco.

An ITV spokesperson confirmed: "We have a great relationship with Simon Cowell but we haven’t commissioned any new shows with Syco and we’re not working on any plans at the moment."

They added: "We are excited about this year’s X Factor and full details of the show will be announced in due course."

DS