Speculation that The X Factor could return to ITV has prompted reaction from former contestants and judges, according to a report from the Mirror published on September 9, 2026. The report says the singing competition, off air for eight years, may be edging closer to a comeback, though some of the show’s former stars say they are “surprised” by the news. ITV has not confirmed a broadcast date, format details, or a judging panel at this stage.
What sparked the comeback speculation
Eight years off air
The X Factor last aired on ITV in 2018, so the show has been absent from British screens for roughly eight years. It was once a fixture of the UK’s autumn television schedule, ran for well over a decade, and helped launch the careers of numerous recording artists. Since it ended, other entertainment formats have filled its old Saturday night slot, and the show has mostly existed in reruns and public memory rather than as an active production.
The Mirror’s report doesn’t detail exactly what prompted the renewed comeback talk this month, but it describes the rumours as recent, circulating “in recent weeks.” That puts the reports firmly in September 2026, with the suggestion that any potential return could be “months away” rather than imminent.
How the rumours reached former contestants and judges
According to the Mirror, the rumours have already reached people connected to the show’s history, and some of them have commented publicly. The report frames this as stars “weighing in” on the prospect of a revival, meaning former contestants and judges are responding to reports rather than to any confirmed ITV announcement. It’s not clear from the available reporting how the speculation reached these people, whether through media enquiries, industry contacts, or general public discussion.
Stars respond: surprise and mixed reactions
Who has spoken out so far
The Mirror’s report says stars connected to The X Factor have responded to the comeback rumours, though it doesn’t name specific individuals or quote them directly. What’s clear is that the reaction has come from within the show’s own alumni network: people with direct experience of how the programme operated during its original run. Their willingness to comment publicly suggests the rumours have gained enough traction to warrant a response, even without any official confirmation from the broadcaster.
Why some insiders say they didn’t see it coming
The Mirror describes some stars as “surprised” by the comeback talk. That points to a gap between industry speculation and what those closest to the show’s history expected. If people who once worked on the programme are calling a revival unexpected, the current round of rumours probably didn’t start from confirmed production plans that had been flagged internally beforehand. It also raises the possibility that any discussions ITV may be having about a comeback haven’t yet reached, or been shared with, the show’s former talent.
What remains unconfirmed by ITV
No official statement on format, judges or air date
ITV has not issued a statement confirming an X Factor revival, according to the available reporting. There’s no confirmed air date, no announced judging panel, and no detail on what format the show might take if it does return. That absence matters given how much of the current conversation rests on unverified rumour rather than a broadcaster announcement. ITV has historically confirmed major format decisions, including cancellations and revivals, through its own press statements, and no such statement has been referenced in connection with this story.
Separating verified reporting from speculation
The Mirror’s article frames the comeback as speculative, describing it as something that “could be set to” happen rather than something confirmed. The verified elements of the story are limited: the existence of rumours, the eight-year gap since the show last aired, and reaction from some former stars describing themselves as surprised. Everything beyond that, including any specifics about timing, format, or personnel, remains unconfirmed and should be treated as speculation until ITV comments directly.
Why The X Factor left screens in the first place
Declining ratings and format fatigue in its final years
The X Factor’s departure from ITV in 2018 followed a period widely associated with declining audience numbers and a sense that the format had become repetitive after more than a decade on air. Talent competition shows built around weekly elimination formats can lose novelty over time, as audiences become familiar with the structure and less invested in the outcome. The show’s later series drew comparisons to its earlier, higher-rating years, and that gap between past and recent performance is generally understood to have contributed to ITV’s decision to end the programme.
The rise of rival talent shows during its absence
In the years since The X Factor left air, other talent and entertainment formats have continued to occupy similar Saturday night slots across British broadcasting. Competing shows, both singing-based and otherwise, have had the chance to build audiences without direct competition from The X Factor. So any potential revival would enter a television environment that has changed considerably since the show last aired in 2018.
What a revival could look like
Possible changes to format, judging panel or broadcast platform
No details have been confirmed about what a revived version of The X Factor might look like, but any comeback would likely need to account for how television viewing habits have shifted since the show last aired. Streaming platforms, shorter-form content, and changing viewer expectations around reality competition formats have all altered the environment a revival would launch into. Whether ITV would keep the show’s traditional live weekly broadcast structure, adjust its judging panel, or make it available on streaming as well as linear television hasn’t been addressed in current reporting.
Lessons ITV may draw from other reality show comebacks
Broadcasters have brought back previously cancelled formats before, often adjusting pacing, judging panels, or broadcast schedules based on what worked, or didn’t, in earlier iterations. Any X Factor revival would presumably draw on lessons from how other reality and talent shows have handled comebacks, though specific plans for The X Factor haven’t been disclosed. Until ITV confirms its intentions, any discussion of format changes remains speculative.
What happens next
Timeline for a potential official announcement
The Mirror’s report describes a potential comeback as being “months away,” suggesting that if a revival is genuinely in development, an official announcement from ITV may not arrive immediately. No specific date or window has been given beyond that general timeframe. Until ITV makes a formal statement, the exact timeline for any announcement, let alone a broadcast date, remains unclear.
What fans and industry watchers are looking out for
For now, attention turns to whether ITV will respond directly to the rumours, either confirming plans for a revival or addressing the speculation that has prompted reaction from former stars. Any official confirmation would likely need to answer the questions currently left open: when the show might return, who would judge it, and what format changes, if any, would define a new series. Until then, the story remains one of rumour and reaction rather than confirmed fact, and industry watchers will be looking for ITV’s own statement as the next concrete development.
Be the first to comment