The new flock of stars in the running to be X Factor judges as Simon Cowell eyes up 'Gen Z' reboot
The original format is 'being given a social media twist'Simon Cowell is working on a Gen Z-friendly reboot of The X Factor built around TikTok and YouTube voting, according to reports.
The revived talent show could arrive as early as next year, according to The Sun.
Viewer interaction through social media apps will reportedly sit at the centre of the new format.
A social media-savvy judging panel is said to be under consideration to front the show.
Names in the frame include TikTok sensation Pink Pantheress, and actor and singer Yungblud.
Singer Raye has also caught his eye, while X Factor OG Cheryl Tweedy is also in the running, it has been claimed.
It comes as ITV also confirmed a fresh spin-off for Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions, which will mark the main show’s 20th anniversary in 2027.
The X Factor ‘social media’ reboot
An insider told The Sun the X Factor revamp would be unlike anything seen on British telly before.
“The reinvention of The X Factor is set to deliver the first TV show of its kind – one that isn’t just a programme with bolt-on social media elements but has social media deeply integrated into the format,” the source said.
They added the plan is designed to reach viewers who never watched the original series live. “It’s a way to bring in the young audience who, back in the day, were the mainstay of the talent show,” the insider explained.
Producers are reportedly looking at scrapping the traditional audition process altogether. Contestants could instead upload pre-recorded performances online, letting the public vote yes or no before a judge even sees them.
Social media users may also get wildcard powers, bringing back acts eliminated earlier in the process. Viewers could even choose which songs and themes each episode features, according to The Sun.
The aim, reportedly, is to involve fans from the very start of a contestant’s journey rather than only at the final vote. Each act’s progress could be tracked across TikTok and Instagram throughout the series.
Simon has hinted at big changes for years.
In a 2024 interview, he said: “I am going to do something brand new. It’s going to be hard work but I’m excited. I haven’t signed the contract yet… so I can say no more.”
Britain’s Got Talent’s YouTube success
The rethink follows the runaway online success of Simon’s other ITV show, Britain’s Got Talent. Its YouTube channel has racked up 27.5billion views, with clips from series 19 alone watched 1.8billion times this year.
Much of that traffic comes from singing auditions, including Calum Scott’s cover of Dancing On My Own, watched 407million times.
KSI’s presence on the panel has also boosted BGT’s reach, with the influencer commanding more than 52million followers across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and X.
Simon is reportedly hoping similar star power could boost a new X Factor panel. The target is to beat the combined social media following of every Strictly Come Dancing contestant and pro this year. That figure is put at around 47million.
ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, Kevin Lygo, addressed the wider trend at the Edinburgh International Television Festival.
“It’s harder and harder now to bring people to new shows,” he said. He added: “That’s why you’re seeing more and more reboots everywhere.”
Neither ITV nor production company Talkback Thames have confirmed The X Factor’s return.
Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions
Meanwhile, Simon’s other brainchild, Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions, will run as a bonus series in autumn 2027, marking BGT’s 20th anniversary. It will feature five pre-recorded episodes plus a live final.
Ant and Dec are set to return as hosts, with Simon, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and KSI back on the judging panel.
The all-star line-up will bring together winners, finalists and fan favourites from the UK version and its global spin-offs.
Street-dance duo Twist And Pulse, runners-up in 2010 and champions of the 2019 all-stars series, are among those tipped to return. Filming for BGT’s regular 20th series begins next month in Blackpool.
Ant and Dec are also launching a separate ITV format, Holey Moley, based on extreme crazy golf. The four-part series is expected to air in early 2027.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI technology to synthesise source reporting and structured data. It has been reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by our human editorial team before publication.
