In a startling disclosure, Claudia Rosencrantz, the former ITV entertainment controller, has confessed that she greenlit The X Factor primarily to ensure Simon Cowell remained with the broadcaster, even though she personally considered the show inferior to its predecessor, Pop Idol. The 66-year-old executive made these revelations during a new Magic Radio documentary titled Popstars At 25: The Story Of A Talent Show Revolution.
Rosencrantz's Candid Critique of Talent Show Formats
Rosencrantz did not mince words when comparing the two iconic television programmes. She asserted, "X Factor is not as good a format as Pop Idol, it just isn’t, Pop Idol is the most beautiful format." She elaborated by praising Pop Idol as a "perfect, pure format, and it works, and it’s worked in every single territory in the world that it’s hit, The X Factor hasn’t, and the reason it hasn’t is it’s not as pure." Furthermore, she criticised The X Factor's mentoring system, suggesting that judges had "too much skin in the game," ultimately declaring Pop Idol a "much, much better show."
The Difficult Decision to Prioritise Simon Cowell
Reflecting on the challenging choice she faced, Rosencrantz explained, "I think at the time, with my ITV hat on, Simon was, he was an absolutely huge star, and as a network, did we need to stick with Simon, or did we need to stick with the better show?" She described this as "the worst and most painful decision I’ve ever had to make, but if I had to make it again, I would make the same one, because Simon was absolutely amazing at that time, and he was going to go off to America." Her primary objective was to "keep a hold of him here on ITV as his home network," which she believed was "quite an important thing."
Legacy and Impact of The X Factor
The X Factor, which launched in 2004, concluded its run in 2018, following Pop Idol's original broadcast from 2001 to 2003. During its tenure, the show became a cultural phenomenon and discovered numerous successful acts, including:
- One Direction
- Little Mix
- Olly Murs
- JLS
- Leona Lewis
Simon Cowell has maintained his association with ITV, serving as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent since 2007 and currently appearing alongside panellists such as Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and new judge KSI.
Documentary Release Details
Rosencrantz's full interview is featured in episode one of Popstars At 25: The Story Of A Talent Show Revolution. The documentary launches on Magic Radio at 7pm on Sunday, February 15, and will be available via the Rayo app for listeners to access on-demand.
