The X Factor will reportedly not return to screens until 2022 at the very earliest and will be replaced by celebrity show All Star Musicals.
The hit talent contest, which has been running for 16 years, will take a break from ITV for at least 12 months amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, according to The Sun.
The X Factor was halted this year when coronavirus hit, rendering it impossible to produce the show, which involves mass gatherings for open public auditions.
Farewell! The X Factor will reportedly not return to screens until 2022 at the very earliest after halting this year when Covid-19 hit, rendering it impossible to produce the show
But All Star Musicals will reportedly return for a third series next year instead, and will see celebrities training in musical theatre before a debut performance.
An insider told The Sun: ‘ITV has decided that next year just isn’t going to be feasible for X Factor.’
They continued: ‘All Stars Musicals is the main contender to replace it as things stand.’
It has been claimed that I’m A Celebrity’s John Barrowman, 53, will return to host the celebrity show, with singer Elaine Paige, 72, reclaiming her role as a judge.
It’s back: All Star Musicals will reportedly return for a third series next year instead, with I’m A Celebrity’s John Barrowman, 53, returning as the host
MailOnline has contacted The X Factor representatives for comment.
All Stars Musicals last aired in 2019 as a ‘one-off special’ and featured seven celebrities, including Alan Titchmarsh, Martin Lewis and Tessa Peak.
The extravaganza saw the hopefuls train in musical theatre before performing at the London Palladium to an audience and a panel of judges, in the hope of being crowned All Star Musicals champion.
The unfortunate The X Factor news comes soon after the show’s longtime host Dermot O’Leary dashed fans’ hopes of the show returning next year.
The presenter, 47, recently revealed that he has ‘no idea’ when the series will resume, but thinks it will be 2022 at the earliest, due to the pandemic sweeping the globe.
Two years to go! The latest development comes soon after longtime The X Factor host Dermot O’Leary dashed fans hopes of the show returning next year
Questioned on Sunday Brunch earlier this week, Dermot said: ‘If I knew, I’d tell you, because I’d be happy. I’ve no idea!’
Talking about the logistics of the series – which involves travel around the world and arenas packed with a large-scale audience – Dermot said: ‘It’s got the turning circle of a car ferry. There’s a lot of planning that goes into it. It definitely won’t be next year, so it will probably be back in 2022.’
Asked whether he has spoke about it to show boss Simon Cowell, Dermot said: ‘We’ve been in touch.’
Simon, 61, is still recovering after undergoing surgery after breaking his back in a terrifying electric bike accident back in August.
His recent injuries saw him sit out of the resumed 2020 series of Britain’s Got Talent after it returned following England’s first lockdown.
Recovering: Simon, 61, is still recovering after undergoing surgery after breaking his back in a terrifying electric bike accident back in August
And speaking about the TV mogul’s injuries, Dermot said: ‘He’s getting better, slowly by surely…’
Dermot has hosted the show since 2007, taking over from former host Kate Thornton, who was presenter from 2004–2006.
He has hosted every series since, aside from in 2015 where he was replaced with former contestant Olly Murs and late Love Island presenter Caroline Flack.
But the show was considered somewhat of a disaster, with Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora on the judging panel alongside Simon and Cheryl.
An infamous slip-up during that year’s series also saw Olly tell one contestant that she was eliminated before she actually was – live on air.
Logistical nightmare: The X Factor was halted this year when Covid-19 hit, rendering it impossible to produce the show, which involves mass gatherings for open public auditions
Luckily, Dermot was swiftly drafted back in the following year.
But the show has suffered iffy ratings and accusations of being repetitive in recent years, and for the first time since its inception was replaced in 2019 with an X Factor: Celebrity series.
It featured reality stars, actors, journalists and presenters, all vying to make a name for themselves in the world of singing – with no members of the public included.
A second mini-series aired after this called X Factor: The Band, in which Simon and Nicole Scherzinger auditioned members of the public looking to be part of the next boy or girl group.
The short series ended with a girl band being awarded a record contract – but little has been heard of them since the Covid-19 pandemic hit.