Simon Cowell may return to 'The X Factor' UK after the American version of the show launched with its lowest ever ratings.
The new series of the US talent show kicked off on Wednesday (11.09.13) and only pulled in 6.2 million viewers - half of its 2011 audience - and its failure could prompt the media mogul to rejoin the British version for the first time since his departure two years ago.
An insider claimed: "Their dream would be to have Simon Cowell and Gary Barlow on the same 'super panel' next year."
However, the Take That singer hasn't decided if he'll return for another series because he's worried his workload - which includes starting work on a new album with the boy band in January - may be too much.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I have done the show and an album before - it did nearly kill me and I was three years younger. But it's not impossible."
The 43-year-old star struggled during the show last year after his and wife Dawn's fourth child Poppy was stillborn, and he revealed returning judge Sharon Osbourne has helped him settle back in this time around.
He said: "I've not raised my game - quite the opposite. I've lowered my game because I've taken down the screen.
"I'm quite new to TV. It's interesting watching MRs O. She just turns up and you're getting what she is, but it's hard to be like that on TV."
Tagged in Gary Barlow Sharon Osbourne Simon Cowell