‘It would have to be reformatted’: Cheryl explains why she ‘doesn’t think the public wants’ X Factor to return
Former judge said some of the categories would now be ‘inappropriate’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Former X Factor judge Cheryl has explained why she doesn’t think the talent series should return.
The singer, 39, first appeared on the judging panel of the ITV talent show in 2008, before stepping down in 2011.
She returned in 2017 to assist former fellow judge and series producer Simon Cowell in the judges’ houses part of the competition. The show ran for one more series, and was officially cancelled by ITV in 2021.
Despite this, Cowell claimed in November 2022 that a future reboot is “more likely than not”.
When asked about this in a new interview with The Independent, Cheryl suggested Cowell would “struggle to admit” the talent contest had run its course, because it’s his “baby”.
“I don’t know if the public want it anymore,” she said.
“We had Pop Idol before that, then Popstars, then us,” the singer continued, referring to Popstars: The Rivals, the series that launched her to fame as part of pop group Girls Aloud.
Cheryl attributed her view to the many streaming services people are subscribed to, stating: “It’s not the same as when everyone was gathered on the sofa on Saturday because X Factor was the biggest thing on TV. So, ‘I don’t know’ is the answer, but the public would have... it would have to be what they want.”
The singer, who is making her West End debut in the play 2:22: A Ghost Story, said “it would have to be totally reformatted”. She added that grouping contestants above the age of 25 into a category called “the overs” would be “inappropriate”, and also said there would need to be “a gender-neutral option”.
During her time on the series, Cheryl mentored two eventual winners – Joe McElderry and Alexandra Burke.
Cheryl will appear in 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Lyric Theatre from 21 January until 23 April.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments