Simon Cowell is planning a motoring show.
Simon Cowell
The 61-year-old music mogul - who owns a string of high-end cars including a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, an Eagle Speedster, a Bugatti Veyron and a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud - wants to turn his focus to his passion and is looking at potential stars and producers for a new programme to rival the BBC's long-running programme 'Top Gear'.
A source told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: “Simon has always been a huge car lover — and a car show is always something he has been interested in doing.
“He was famously a guest driver on 'Top Gear' and loves talking cars. He has been approached by a number of well-known car experts and racing drivers wanting to partner with him over the years.
“Right now there feels like an especially large appetite.
“The idea of a new car show is really a no-brainer for him.”
Simon has the time to look at new programmes as it was recently confirmed he is retiring talent show 'The X Factor'.
The 'Britain's Got Talent' boss also has 'Walk the Line', a new musical competition series in the pipeline and it was recently revealed he's planning to offer a £500,000 to the winner.
Simon will be head judge but has banned "old faces" and is keen to have “fresh, exciting names that haven’t appeared on his shows before” alongside him as they decide who should progress in the contest to take home the huge prize.
A source said: “This is a completely new format for Simon and he is very excited.
“He wanted to make the prize the biggest on UK telly right now and was adamant it wouldn’t be any less than £500k. He also wants new faces. There will be no Cheryl or Louis Walsh. Those names are all 'X Factor' and Simon wants new, exciting talent sitting beside him.”
Simon isn't only keen on judges with a musical background, so he is auditioning people from various areas of the entertainment industry, with singer-and-actor Olly Alexander and 'Masked Singer' host Joel Dommett reportedly in the mix.
The source added: “Auditions are happening now, and Simon is a perfectionist so he’s not going to announce when the show will be until he has the perfect judging line-up.”
'Walk the Line' will see musical acts - solo artist, choirs and bands - compete for the cash prize, but the two acts judged the best each week have to decide if they want to take some money and leave the competition or "walk the line" to move on to the next stage.
The longer an act stays on, the bigger their prize pot will be as they will then have to compete against a fresh set of musicians.
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