‘The X Factor’ USA with Simon Cowell not returning; Fox done with new singing shows

While Fox may be considering doing something further with Simon Cowell, we now know one thing with a great deal of confidence: It is not going to be another season of “The X Factor.”

Speaking per TheWrap recently, Fox’s new co-programming head Gary Newman confirmed that there is no plan whatsoever to revive a singing-show concept that did not work during any of the first three seasons it was on the air. We definitely do understand that, given that there is no reason to bring something back when it was clearly not working out very well in the first place. The third season of the show was a dud, and while Fox is still struggling as a network, the success of “Empire” this year gives them at least one consistent hit that they can rely on for a while moving into the future.

Newman added here that in general, you cannot expect there to be many more attempts by Fox to revive a particular reality TV genre that no longer has any sort of oomph to it:

“Clearly, singing competitions are pretty well played out … We’re not going to move forward with a show like that — nor would Simon — unless we really felt that we cracked something that felt new and different.”

Do we think that Simon will have an involvement in American TV again before his career is over? Sure, but we feel like it is more likely to come as an executive producer for something scripted, or a reality show where he stays behind the camera. There’s no need for him to be onscreen anymore other than ego.

Right move for Fox? Let us know with a comment, and head over here to get some other TV news worth a song or two courtesy of our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: Fox.)