We’ve heard for months now that The X Factor was having some tweaks made to it in an attempt to give it a bit of a refresh to hopefully regain its lost viewers.
According to reports, the amount of live shows will be reduced from ten to six weeks in a bid to boost falling ratings.
But it seems that one of the show’s stalwarts isn’t exactly happy about the changes.
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Dermott O’Leary says he is gutted to lose out on his “favourite part of the show”.
“Of course I want to do live shows, it’s my favourite part of the show,” he said at the launch of the show today.
“But I get it, I get the fact you have a two and a half hour live show which is how we used to make our show 14 years ago.
“People don’t watch two and a half hours of telly on a Saturday night anymore so you’ve got to evolve.
He also revealed that he was never a fan of the six chair challenge, the brutal segment of the show that divided viewers, which has now been ditched, but “feels fine” about the show’s changes.
However, he says that he won’t have to adapt his presenting style with the new format.
“I don’t think about it that much,” he said.
“I don’t think my interview technique is that bad.”
“That’s the lovely thing, it’s one of the reason I love doing it, they let me get on and do my own thing, so you obviously hope it’s in the edit but you’re not in control of it.
“I mean now and again you think ‘I did a great interview’ but that’s TV.”
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Dermott also said that he expects to see the show make its 20th anniversary in for years time, in spite of dubious ratings.
“We get asked about ratings every year,” he said.
“To average eight million across 16 weeks is huge business for ITV and a testament that people are still talking about the show.”
The X Factor returns to ITV this Saturday at 8pm