Simon Cowell: I’m too busy, something will have to give

Simon Cowell has hinted again that he’ll leave The X Factor after the next series.

The music mogul developed the idea for the talent show after the demise of Pop Idol and has been the lead judge on the show throughout its five series - but making that, along with judging Britain’s Got Talent & American Idol, and running his television production company, running a record label and managing some of the shows’ winners, he’s starting to realise he can’t do it all.

He explained recently: “Something may have to give.

“Last year was tough and I really felt it around about the end of the year. There’s a lot of pressure that comes with making the shows, running the record label and running the TV production company.

“I got to the point where I was doing Idol, finishing auditions, getting room service at 10pm and then working for another six or seven hours on the British stuff.

“You do that week after week, month after month and it takes its toll on you.”