‘The X Factor’ UK notes: Brian Friedman returns; ‘Rising Star’ canceled by ITV

How is the cancellation of “Rising Star,” before a single episode even aired in the United Kingdom, important to “The X Factor“? We see them tied together for one simple reason: ITV desperately trying to cling to a singing format that works.

The network confirmed the news this week, and this comes many months after they first purchased the format for this real-time singing competition. We liked the idea in theory, but the problem is that it does not really allow for enough time or opportunities to really cultivate an artist. If “The X Factor” is about working with someone to become a star, this is more about being good from the start.

Also, ITV clearly does not want to fill the market with too many singing shows. For the size of the country, it is already remarkable that the country has “The Voice,” “The X Factor,” and “Britain’s Got Talent.” Any more would be overkill, and they do not want to saturate the market and hurt their own brand. They have learned from what Fox did with “The X Factor.”

In other news … Brian Friedman’s back! The former creative director for the series is returning to this post in the UK after filling over in America for some time. We’re mostly pleased by this, largely because he encouraged contestants to take risks, and they really need to be doing more of that. Over the past few seasons, we’ve seen far too many singers go up and do performances that feel totally standard and expected.

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Photo: ITV