“The X Factor USA” has been cancelled by Fox after three seasons.
Fox and the show’s production companies announced Friday that the U.S. edition of the singing competition won’t be coming back this fall. The record label boss predicted that the show would get 20 million viewers, but it never came close to that figure and it was also easily beaten by rival talent shows American Idol and The Voice. It also never found a breakout star. The competition never created a Kelly Clarkson or a Carrie Underwood. Can you name a single champion?
“X Factor” head judge and creator-executive producer Simon Cowell, who served as a judge on Fox’s “American Idol” for nine seasons, will instead return to the U.K. version of “X Factor” later this year.
“I’ve had a fantastic time over the last 12 years, both on ‘The X Factor’ and ‘American Idol,’ ” Cowell said in a statement. “And apart from being lucky enough to find some amazing talent on the shows, I have always had an incredible welcome from the American public — most of the time!”
The acerbic judge initially predicted that “X Factor” would be a major hit before its 2011 debut, but the show never garnered stellar ratings, which continued to dip in last year’s third season.
The show’s hosts and judging panel was revamped each season with Paula Abdul, Antonio “L.A.” Reid, Britney Spears, Demi Lovato and Kelly Rowland among those joining Cowell on the panel.