Simon Cowell: 'X Factor to be toned down'

Simon Cowell: 'X Factor to be toned down'
Simon Cowell: 'X Factor to be toned down' (Image credit: PA Wire/Press Association Images)

The X Factor will be 'toned down a bit' after last year's final sparked thousands of complaints, Simon Cowell has said. Pre-watershed scenes featuring Christina Aguilera (pictured) and her backing dancers in a racy routine saw 2,868 complaints made to media regulator Ofcom. The singer donned a short black dress while her female dancers, who were bent over chairs, wore suspenders, bra tops, fishnet stockings and basques in the raunchy routine. Simon said he had listened to public opinion, adding: "I think based on the reaction we'd have to tone it down a bit". Simon also insisted he doesn't reckon he's "fallen out" with Cheryl Cole but admitted he had only had a couple of texts from her since she was dropped as a judge on the US version of The X Factor. He said viewers will see her in the first episode, which was recorded before she left the series and was replaced with former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger only three weeks after starting the job. Simon said: "I thought she would work better in England, nothing more than that, you will see her in the first episode but she doesn't look as comfortable on the American show as she does in the English show." He revealed he offered her a role on the UK version of the show and a return to the US version but she turned both down, having also turned down an earlier opportunity to appear on the panel of Britain's Got Talent. He said: "She was offered BGT before X Factor and she basically had cold feet. She said yes and with two days to go she said this isn't for me." Simon, who said he had been "incredibly close" to the Girls Aloud star at one time, added: 'I don't think we've fallen out, at least I don't think so'."

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.