ITV Keeps The X Factor Until 2009

The X Factor will remain with ITV for another three years at least, after the programme’s creator, Simon Cowell, signed an estimated £20 million deal with the broadcaster.

The high-rating show will stay with ITV until 2009, with the broadcaster presumably hoping that the programme will continue to prove popular with viewers. The deal was announced after the final show of the present series concluded on Saturday (see End Of X Factor Boosts Viewing Figures For ITV1).

Under the terms of the deal, Cowell will be exclusively contracted to ITV in the UK and will be starring on ITV with a number of different projects including the UK version of his latest number one US hit series this summer, America’s Got Talent.

The UK series, Britain’s Got Talent, devised by Cowell’s company Syco and co-produced with Talkback Thames, will include talents of all kinds being invited to try their luck in front of a panel of judges including not only Cowell himself, but also former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan, who judged the show in the US.

“ITV gave me my first big break in TV five years ago for which I will be eternally grateful,” said Cowell. “It has been a fantastic relationship, which continues to go from strength to strength and this unprecedented deal shows that I couldn’t be happier in making my TV shows on Britain’s best broadcaster.”

Simon Shaps, ITV’s director of television, added: “It’s fantastic news that ITV has secured a deal with Simon that takes us right through to the end of 2009. Simon is the face of the two biggest entertainment formats in the world and I am absolutely delighted to be working with Simon, and his production company, on X Factor and a variety of exciting new formats over the coming years.”

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