ITV have confirmed that The X Factor has been axed after 17 years.
Simon Cowell said today that there are “no current plans” to air another series of the show, which launched the careers of Little Mix, One Direction and Olly Murs.
The programme was known for its dramatic auditions as much as the live performances, and was once a mainstay of Saturday night television.
Read more: The X Factor has 'no plans' to return amid axe claims
Read on to find out why it’s ending.
Why has The X Factor been axed from ITV?
A report in The Sun said that The X Factor said the show had been shelved for at least five years and was “unlikely” to make a comeback.
The last winner was Dalton Harris in 2018, when viewing figures dropped to an average of about 6 million.
The show saw peak viewing figures in 2010, when it received an average of 14.13 million per episode.
The programme first aired in 2004, spawning spin-off show The Xtra Factor the same year.
Judges have included Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh, Cheryl, Nicole Sherzinger and Rita Ora.
