Latest in X Factor

EXCLUSIVE: Fremantle is taking its biggest entertainment shows to the Arab world. The producer has struck a two-year partnership with UK artificial intelligence start-up Papercup that will see the UK and U.S. versions of Idols, Got Talent and The X Factor offered to Arabic audiences through YouTube…

YMU has snapped up Simon Cowell. The British X Factor and Got Talent creator and Syco Entertainment founder will join the transatlantic talent agency’s entertainment division and be managed by Group Executive Director Chris Hughes. YMU said it will work with Cowell across “all facets of business” including TV…

Simon Cowell is to be replaced by Take That singer Gary Barlow on upcoming ITV entertainment format Walk The Line. The genre-bending show from Cowell’s Syco Entertainment and ITV Studios’ rebranded Lifted Entertainment division was unveiled with fanfare over the summer and would have represented Cowell’s on-screen…

UPDATED: Simon Cowell is a step closer to returning to Fox. A year after Fox cancelled his X Factor, Cowell is deep in conversations with Fox on a production pact. “What we are exploring is an overall deal where he would become an internal production pod on the reality side,” Fox TV Group chairman Dana Walden…

For the first time, pan-Arab media conglom MBC Group is taking the pan-Arab format rights to The X Factor and Project Runway for three seasons each.  In addition, FremantleMedia International closed a multi-year deal with MBC resulting in the re-licensing of the pan-Arab versions of Idol and Got Talent for three…

Update, 2:46PM: Simone Battle’s X Factor mentor Simon Cowell has tweeted about her death: I am so sad to hear about the news Simone Battle has passed away. She was such a fun nice person. It's such a loss. Rest in peace Simone. — Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) September 6, 2014 X Factor co-host Paula Abdul also sent…

Just a month after officially debuting on London’s West End, Simon Cowell‘s X-Factor parody show I Can’t Sing! The X Factor Musical is shuttering. Cowell’s Syco Entertainment and Stage Entertainment produced the stage show which opened at the London Palladium on March 26 following previews on March 5. Producers…

In this week's podcast, Deadline International Editor Nancy Tartaglione and host David Bloom preview this year's Mip-TV market and the interactive Israeli format that may just dominate this year's show; take a look at some of the very familiar nominees for the Olivier Awards, honoring the best of British stage; and…

They meet again! After a scheduling move by NBC pitted the network’s The Voice and Fox’s The X Factor during their premiere week, the two singing competition series will go head-to-head again on Tuesday after Fox rescheduled tonight’s episode because of baseball rain delay. “It what’s known as a total f up,” is how X F…

I hear that Britney Spears is close to a deal to join Simon Cowell on the judging panel of The X Factor in Season 2. Spears had been in talks for the gig for over a month, but I hear that the two sides are now headed for the final stretch after a big breakthrough over the weekend when major deal points were agreed…

Simon Cowell may soon have a new venue to go head-to-head with his longtime rival, American Idol creator Simon Fuller: Both are planning musicals for London’s West End. Cowell wants to build a stage show around his global franchise X Factor. Cowell has approached Brit comedian Harry Hill to write the book and comedy…

Simon Cowell Tries To Deflect Flak From ‘Red Or Black?’ The music and TV mogul said today “human error” was to blame after a man who did time for domestic abuse, Nathan Hageman, won the £1M jackpot on the game show’s opening night. Producer Cowell said that ITV bosses were “delighted” with Red or Black? despite…