'The X Factor' may have to move from its prime time Saturday night slot.
Simon Cowell
Bosses of the ITV singing show have made drastic changes to the format this year in a bid to beat its rival 'Strictly Come Dancing' in the ratings war, but a television expert believes the only way the series can pull in more viewers is by changing its air time.
Tom Harrington from TV analysts Enders told The Daily Star: "'Strictly Come Dancing' and 'X Factor' have been going head-to-head together in some capacity for years.
"Up to this time that consistency indicates that for both the BBC and ITV the arrangement works. That may change however with X Factor's decline."
And it doesn't look like 'Strictly Come Dancing', which returned to screens last weekend, is willing to move slots because it's always been aired on Saturday nights.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: "We have always broadcast Strictly at the heart of the Saturday night schedule, precisely where the public want the biggest show on TV."
The show returned to screens late last month and saw Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh reclaim their seats on the panel.
And Simon recently revealed that he's prepared to part with more cash when it comes to nabbing the two females for his judging panel because he knows that the Irish music manager is willing to take any fee in order to reclaim his seat on the series.
When asked about the recent BBC wages reveal, Simon said: "For once this is good news. Victory. Yeah, they definitely are. I just don't tell Louis.
"He's got enough money for a bum implant so he shouldn't be complaining. I'm almost like a pioneer I guess, yeah. If they get the money, it doesn't matter to me whether you're a boy or a girl.
"But I would say we've probably paid girls more money than guys over the years."
Tagged in Louis Walsh Simon Cowell Nicole Scherzinger