SIMON Cowell is considering axing 'The X Factor' next year. The music mogul admits he would rather "fall off the cliff" than see the ITV1 talent show get fewer viewing figures each year, and he has another programme in production to replace the series.

He said: "I'd rather fall off the cliff on numbers than deteriorate slowly. That is like death from a thousand cuts. Now maybe that might mean with The 'X Factor' we'd say in a year's time, 'Right, that's the end of it. Let's start something new.' We have got something in development which could replace it if we get to that point."  Simon also admits he "pinched" Alesha Dixon from BBC One's 'Strictly Come Dancing' to be a judge on the forthcoming series of his 'Britain's Got Talent' series to get back at the network for creating rival talent show 'The Voice', which will begin on 24.03.12, the same day as 'BGT'. He added to Live magazine: "The BBC always said they are not there to compete, which is a complete load of rubbish.            –TL
They are the most competitive people I've ever met. I don't dislike them for it but you've got to be honest.
"They throw everything at 'Strictly' for one reason only - to beat 'The X Factor' - and they are putting 'The Voice' on to compete with 'Got Talent'. It was only right I did something back to them. We pinched Alesha. In the grand scheme of things that's fun, that's not being ruthless. It's just evening the score. I think people like you more, it's more interesting than behaving in a boring way."