Simon Cowell is apparently being pressured by ITV bosses to drop Louis Walsh from the judging panel on the next series of ‘The X Factor’.
Louis has been a judge on the singing show since it launched in 2004, though while Simon is reportedly keen to keep him on for this year’s series, ITV bosses are hoping they can change his mind, in yet another bid to shake up the show.
Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh
An ITV source told The Sun: “What we’ve said is we want the panel to be as strong as it can be and if that means getting rid of people who have been on it before, so be it.
“The show is going through a creative renewal with Simon and Cheryl Cole back, so it’s only right we make it as good as we can.
“It’s not just Simon’s show - it’s ITV’s, so we have a big say."
Louis's future on 'The X Factor' is still not certain
Simon recently spoke about his desire to keep Louis on the panel, but admitted that Cheryl - who announced back in March that she was returning to ‘The X Factor’ after quitting the show in 2010 - was less keen on the idea.
Louis himself has also previously said he was confident that he would be returning for the 11th series of ‘The X Factor’, which begins filming in June.
It’s not yet known who will make up the rest of the panel, as last year’s judges Gary Barlow, Nicole Scherzinger and Sharon Osbourne have all confirmed they won’t be coming back to the show.
It was reported last week that former Spice Girl Mel B was a strong favourite for the job, after making an impression during a guest spot back in 2012.
Who Would We Like To See On The 'X Factor' Judging Panel
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