Simon Cowell Demands X Factor Shake-Up After Ratings Drop
Simon Cowell has ordered Gary Barlow to shake-up Britain's The X Factor after more than two million viewers abandoned the TV talent show last weekend (15-16Oct11).
The music mogul handed over the reigns of his hugely popular TV series to the Take That star so he could concentrate on launching the format Stateside.
However, the singer and his fellow judges Kelly Rowland, Tulisa Contostavlos and Louis Walsh have failed to carry on the show's success and have come under fire for their choice of contestants and songs.
Barlow has now revealed Cowell has demanded the judges work hard to improve the show as he wants it to be made "50 per cent better."
He says, "Simon said if you can work at the show and make it ten per cent better each week, by the end of the series the show will be 50 per cent better.
"That is what we are trying to do this week. We are all upping our game. We are still the number one show each weekend, but there is always room for improvement.
"The trouble with the artists this year is they are all obsessed with Twitter and headlines. It feels like they are all getting a bit above themselves.
"We are constantly reminding them that they are in a competition. I had a word with all my contestants and I know Kelly Rowland had a word with hers. It's reality check time.
"We are all lucky to be here, we are lucky to be on stage and have millions of people watch us. You don't deserve this. We are lucky."
