{"id":4303,"date":"2011-12-02T01:31:22","date_gmt":"2011-12-02T01:31:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/12\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/"},"modified":"2011-12-02T01:31:22","modified_gmt":"2011-12-02T01:31:22","slug":"so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/","title":{"rendered":"So long Gary… it’s Simon to the rescue: Barlow unlikely to return as Cowell plans X Factor overhaul"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\nBy
\nDan Wootton<\/a><\/p>\n

Last updated at 1:31 AM on 2nd December 2011<\/p>\n


<\/span><\/p>\n

As the X Factor\u2019s embattled producers put the finishing touches to this weekend\u2019s semi-final, the most senior figures on the show \u2014 including an out-of-sight but never out-of-mind Simon Cowell \u2014 are plotting how to salvage it next year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alarm bells are ringing at the highest levels of ITV and Cowell HQ after their once untouchable series was beaten again by arch rival Strictly Come Dancing last Saturday as ratings plummeted by three million to a four-year low.<\/span><\/p>\n

I am reliably informed that Cowell wants a dramatic overhaul of the show, which will result in at least two of the judges being replaced. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\"X<\/p>\n

X Factor Judges: Louis Walsh, Tulisa Contostavlos Kelly Rowland and Gary Barlow<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018He\u2019s not happy and wants to distance himself from this series, but has no plans for it to carry on like this next year,\u2019 reveals my source. <\/span><\/p>\n

A so-called \u2018nuclear option\u2019 would see TV\u2019s highest-rated programme stay off air until January 2013 to enable Cowell to ride in as the white knight once his commitments on the also under-performing U.S. version of the show are complete.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, ITV is reluctant to move the show from the plum pre-Christmas market, where they make the most money from advertisements (yes, that\u2019s the real reason behind the copious number of commercial breaks).<\/span><\/p>\n

Cowell\u2019s family have warned him not to consider commuting between the two countries to judge on both shows between September and December because it could damage his health.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another option is a U.S.\/UK job swap, which would see American judge Nicole Scherzinger and presenter Steve Jones moved to the British show. Kelly Rowland, who has strong reservations about returning to the panel here, could take the former Pussycat Doll\u2019s place across the Atlantic.<\/span><\/p>\n

I am told the chances of Gary Barlow returning next year are \u2018beyond slim\u2019. The Take That star has made it clear he had no idea of the personal and professional toll of being involved in The X Factor. Tellingly, Cowell has not publicly backed his replacement since the live shows began.<\/span><\/p>\n

Contrary to reports, Louis Walsh has not signed for next year\u2019s show and is considering whether now is the right time to bow out after seven years in the job.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tulisa is the only judge who has made it clear she wants to come back and, given her popularity among young viewers, is considered the most likely to return.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cowell\u2019s dream scenario is for a Cheryl Cole comeback. But members of her circle assure me she has no desire to return to the \u2018X Factor circus\u2019 and intends to focus on her music career.<\/span><\/p>\n

No decisions will be made until after Cowell returns to the UK from his regular Christmas jaunt to Barbados \u2014 but he is said to be determined to do everything possible to ensure his cash cow does not die a slow and painful death.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\"Pop<\/p>\n

Pop legend: BBC bosses decided Lulu’s stint on Strictly Come Dancing had ‘cheapened her reputation’<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The BBC has scrapped plans to make pop legend Lulu a judge on its highly anticipated new talent show, The Voice.
<\/span><\/p>\n

The 63-year-old was being pushed by bosses at record company Universal, which will give the show\u2019s winner a recording contract.
<\/span><\/p>\n

But Beeb executives decided her stint on Strictly Come Dancing had \u2018cheapened her reputation\u2019.
<\/span><\/p>\n

Lulu, right, had been expected to join singer Jessie J \u2014 the first to be officially announced \u2014 as the experienced judge on the show, which will launch on Saturday nights early next year. Tom Jones, original Pop Idol winner Will Young and Black Eyed Peas rapper\u00a0 will.i.am are now favourites to be on the panel.
<\/span><\/p>\n

The show has already been a hit in the U.S. and throughout Europe because the celebrity judges hear the contestants\u2019 auditions, but do not see them because their backs are turned.
<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 ***********************************************************************************<\/span><\/p>\n

Ignoring
\ncriticism of unrealistic plots and rushed scripts, ITV bosses are
\nconfident Downton Abbey will become an on-going series with an annual
\nChristmas special.
<\/span><\/p>\n

The drama has been commissioned for a third season, but that is far from the end.
<\/span><\/p>\n

An
\nITV source explains: \u2018Downton is our biggest drama franchise. People
\ncomplained the quality went down in the second series, but viewers
\ndisagreed.
<\/span><\/p>\n

We want another Christmas special next year and are planning for a fourth series in 2013.\u2019
<\/span><\/p>\n

The
\nthird series can\u2019t leap too far ahead in time because a chief
\nattraction is Dame Maggie Smith, as the elderly but acid-tongued Dowager
\nCountess of Grantham.
<\/span><\/p>\n

This
\nyear\u2019s Downton Christmas episode is predicted to become one of ITV\u2019s
\nmost-watched festive broadcasts in years, even though it looks likely to
\nbe scheduled against EastEnders on BBC1.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ************************************************************************************<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite
\nhaving the oldest cast in the history of I\u2019m A Celebrity .\u2009.\u2009. Get Me
\nOut Of Here, it will take a major shock to stop 24-year-old Mark Wright
\nfrom winning the enduring jungle reality series tomorrow night.
<\/span><\/p>\n

ITV
\nhas big plans for the former star of the fly-on-the-wall series The
\nOnly Way Is Essex, believing he could become a popular TV personality
\nand presenter in his own right.
<\/span><\/p>\n

Sensibly,
\nMark has signed with agent Jonathan Shalit, who transformed Myleene
\nKlass into one of the country\u2019s most in-demand TV presenters following
\nher appearance on the show.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\"Ignored:<\/p>\n

Ignored: ITV executives have not returned calls from Emma Bunton’s agents<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

ITV bosses appear to be sending a not-so-subtle message to former Spice Girl turned Dancing On Ice judge Emma Bunton, right.<\/span><\/p>\n

Executives have not returned calls from her agents, who want to find out if she is required for the new series of the celebrity skating show, which starts within weeks. Negotiations have already begun with Jason Gardiner \u2014 the show\u2019s controversial but compelling hate figure \u2014 but a deal still hasn\u2019t been signed.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the ratings tumble resulting from the changes to the X Factor judging panel, in my opinion ITV should stick to the tried and tested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ************************************\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Strictly Come Dancing favourite Harry Judd is doing all he can to avoid any claims of special treatment on the BBC series.<\/span><\/p>\n

He
\nhas deliberately avoided speaking away from the cameras to judge Alesha
\nDixon, whom he previously met during his music career as drummer of
\nband McFly, because of whispers she was giving him favourable treatment
\nwhen awarding marks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I have made sure I don\u2019t speak to Alesha backstage because of that,\u2019 he says. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve spoken to Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood in the bar after the show, but not her.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

See the original article here:
\nSo long Gary… it’s Simon to the rescue: Barlow unlikely to return as Cowell plans X Factor overhaul<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Dan Wootton Last updated at 1:31 AM on 2nd December 2011 As the X Factor\u2019s embattled producers put the finishing touches to this weekend\u2019s semi-final, the most senior figures on the show \u2014 including an out-of-sight but never out-of-mind Simon Cowell \u2014 are plotting how to salvage it next year. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nSo long Gary... it's Simon to the rescue: Barlow unlikely to return as Cowell plans X Factor overhaul - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"So long Gary... it's Simon to the rescue: Barlow unlikely to return as Cowell plans X Factor overhaul - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"By Dan Wootton Last updated at 1:31 AM on 2nd December 2011 As the X Factor\u2019s embattled producers put the finishing touches to this weekend\u2019s semi-final, the most senior figures on the show \u2014 including an out-of-sight but never out-of-mind Simon Cowell \u2014 are plotting how to salvage it next year.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/4209article-2068931-0F05186500000578-88_468x533.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ghanamma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ghanamma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\",\"@id\":\"\"},\"headline\":\"So long Gary… it’s Simon to the rescue: Barlow unlikely to return as Cowell plans X Factor overhaul\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-12-02T01:31:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/\"},\"wordCount\":1138,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/4209article-2068931-0F05186500000578-88_468x533.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/\",\"name\":\"So long Gary... it's Simon to the rescue: Barlow unlikely to return as Cowell plans X Factor overhaul - Ghanamma.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/4209article-2068931-0F05186500000578-88_468x533.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-12-02T01:31:22+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/4209article-2068931-0F05186500000578-88_468x533.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/4209article-2068931-0F05186500000578-88_468x533.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/\",\"name\":\"Ghanamma.com\",\"description\":\"News In Ghana - Latest Ghana News Headlines\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"So long Gary... it's Simon to the rescue: Barlow unlikely to return as Cowell plans X Factor overhaul - Ghanamma.com","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"So long Gary... it's Simon to the rescue: Barlow unlikely to return as Cowell plans X Factor overhaul - Ghanamma.com","twitter_description":"By Dan Wootton Last updated at 1:31 AM on 2nd December 2011 As the X Factor\u2019s embattled producers put the finishing touches to this weekend\u2019s semi-final, the most senior figures on the show \u2014 including an out-of-sight but never out-of-mind Simon Cowell \u2014 are plotting how to salvage it next year.","twitter_image":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/4209article-2068931-0F05186500000578-88_468x533.jpg","twitter_creator":"@ghanamma","twitter_site":"@ghanamma","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/"},"author":{"name":"","@id":""},"headline":"So long Gary… it’s Simon to the rescue: Barlow unlikely to return as Cowell plans X Factor overhaul","datePublished":"2011-12-02T01:31:22+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/"},"wordCount":1138,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/4209article-2068931-0F05186500000578-88_468x533.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/","name":"So long Gary... it's Simon to the rescue: Barlow unlikely to return as Cowell plans X Factor overhaul - Ghanamma.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/4209article-2068931-0F05186500000578-88_468x533.jpg","datePublished":"2011-12-02T01:31:22+00:00","author":{"@id":""},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/02\/so-long-gary-its-simon-to-the-rescue-barlow-unlikely-to-return-as-cowell-plans-x-factor-overhaul\/#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/4209article-2068931-0F05186500000578-88_468x533.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/4209article-2068931-0F05186500000578-88_468x533.jpg"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/","name":"Ghanamma.com","description":"News In Ghana - Latest Ghana News Headlines","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4303"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4303\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}