While fans were looking forward to seeing Simon Cowell return to our screens in ITV’s Walk the Line, the former X Factor judge has announced that he’ll be stepping down from the show.
The TV personality has quit his on-screen role as a judge on the upcoming singing competition but will remain as a producer, with Take That’s Gary Barlow set to replace him on the judging panel.
Cowell told The Sun: “This is a situation where I have decided it is right for me to focus on my role as the Creator and Producer as we build up to the hugely exciting launch.
“Gary’s musical pedigree is second to none – and we have known each other a long time now – so I am delighted he is picking up the baton for me for the first series of Walk The Line. I know he will do a fantastic job.”
The musician has previous appeared on the TV judging panels of The X Factor in 2011 and BBC One’s Let It Shine.
ITV announced back in June that Simon Cowell was launching new musical game show Walk the Line, which will see musical variety acts take to the stage for the chance to win a life-changing amount of money.
The six-part series will be hosted by Maya Jama, while Gary Barlow and a number of other celebrity panellists are set to judge the contestants.
RadioTimes.com has reached out to ITV for comment.
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