By David Craig

Published: Tuesday, 28 June 2022 at 12:00 am


Following reports that a revival of The X Factor could be in the works from Simon Cowell, we asked RadioTimes.com readers whether they felt the time was right for the show to return.

The result was almost unanimous, with a whopping 85 per cent of respondents saying they do not want to see another season of the singing competition at this time.

It shows just how wildly opinion has swung on the glitzy talent show, which used to be one of the most popular programmes on British television, with an average of 14 million people tuning in across the show’s seventh season in 2010.

The show discovered several musical acts who remain popular to this day, including Harry Styles, Little Mix and Olly Murs, but also drew criticism for its harsh treatment of some contestants.

The X Factor declined considerably in its final five seasons, with attempts to revitalise the franchise with celebrity and band-oriented spin-offs proving unsuccessful.

As it stands, less than nine per cent of respondents to our poll said they think now is the right time for a brand new season, with a further five per cent saying they might be open to the idea in the future.

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Dermot O’Leary, Sharon Osbourne, Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger and Louis Walsh
ITV

Cowell remains a prominent figure on television talent shows, with Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent being his biggest hits still on the air.

Earlier this week, The Sun reported that he was looking to revive The X Factor in a major new deal, but RadioTimes.com understands there are not currently any such plans for the programme to return.

Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.

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