Official: Simon Cowell Out of 'The X Factor' U.K.

It is now official that Simon Cowell is not going to sit as a weekly judge on the U.K. version of "The X Factor" when it returns for an eighth series later this year. The reason is none other than his commitment to the new U.S. version which is due to premiere in September, roughly a month after the U.K. version's. 

Nonetheless, Cowell is still a part of the show in some capacity. "We have been in constant negotiations with Simon about ways in which we can move things forward and help 'The X Factor' evolve," Peter Fincham, ITV's Director of Television, said. 

"We have been aware that his on-screen involvement in this series will not be as great as previous years for months now. It is something that we are completely comfortable with." He added, "We are talking to him about ways he can have an on-screen presence later in the show. He will not be a weekly judge, but he will be an enormous presence backstage as always." 

At the same time, Fincham made use of the opportunity to deny the rumor that Cowell is at rift with ITV. "I constantly hear we are in crisis but in reality we have an amazingly constructive relationship with Simon and are very much reading from the same page," he clarified. 

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