X Factor 2009

[Perdita]

CHERYL Cole wants to quit X Factor to have a baby, the News of the World can reveal.

The show's supremo Simon Cowell is desperate to keep his ace judge and ITV would double her £1.2million salary.

But mega-rich Cheryl, below, has told him her decision is not about money. Last night an X Factor insider told us: "Cheryl has so much else going on in life.

"The number one thing on her mind is starting a family. The show is a huge commitment. It's six months of the year. Cheryl wanted to have a baby with Ashley this year but put it off because of work. "She doesn't want to wait much longer and she's not keen on having to judge The X Factor while she's heavily pregnant."

Cheryl, 26, has said: "I have friends who have put it off and I don't want to do that. I'd love a big family."

As well as having children with Chelsea and England footballer Ashley Cole, the Geordie beauty has a successful music career to pursue.

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Already a star in Girls Aloud, her solo work is the surprise talk of the music industry.

Her first single Fight For This Love topped the charts and became the fastest selling song of the year after she performed it live on The X Factor.

And her debut album 3 Words is on target to sell a million copies before the end of the year.

Her act Alexandra Burke won X Factor last year and her protege this series, Joe McElderry, is hot favourite to win the contest tonight.

Our show source added: "If you've won the show twice in a row what else is there left to prove? There's massive demand in America for her to promote her music which is something she's agreed to do."

Huge

A music industry expert added: "It's not only America she has to tackle. Europe is a huge market with lots of countries she has to visit."

Cheryl also has her Girls Aloud commitments to honour with the group booked to record their next album late next year, clashing with X Factor.

Her uncertain future also makes fellow judge Dannii Minogue's job safe for now.

Our source added: "Girls Aloud are definitely recording their album at the end of next year.

"Cheryl has always said she'll put music first but doing everything would put a massive strain on her. Something has to give.

"Simon's going to take time to reflect but until he's signed up Cheryl there's no way he'd let Dannii go anyway.

"It's crazy to think he would risk introducing two new female judges in the same year."

Contract negotiations between The X Factor judges and ITV do not begin until Spring.

An ITV insider explained: "Simon hasn't officially even done a deal with us to bring the show back next year.

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"But he loves working with Cheryl and they've become very close friends.

"He also knows how much the public adore her and how good she's been for ratings.

"Simon is very persuasive and Cheryl admires him hugely. He will try to get one last series out of her. For Simon it's nothing short of a disaster if she does go through with what she's thinking and walks out of the show."

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/show...-and-baby.html

[Perdita]

Simon Cowell plans to sign Robbie Williams as a fifth X Factor judge.

The move is one of a raft of changes to the ratings-topping show.

Cowell has warned he’ll take the series OFF AIR if ITV *bosses don’t cough up the extra £300,000 a week he needs for the revamp, which also *includes:

 ADDING a fifth judge to the line-up to avoid *heavily-criticised *deadlocks.

 UPPING the number of finalists from 12 to 16.

 EXTENDING the series by a month.

 MOVING the live shows to London’s Wembley Arena

 REPLACING Dannii with a new female judge.

As the two remaining acts prepared to go head-to-head tonight, Cowell said: “A lot of things are going to change next year if we bring the show back. The show needs to change or it starts to fail.

“I like Robbie Williams. He’d make a good judge. He’s fun, he’s got good *instincts, he doesn’t take himself too seriously and he’s a fun guy to be around.”

Tonight a record of more than 20 million viewers are expected to tune in as The X Factor reaches its dramatic climax.

Cowell wants to axe Dannii, 38, because he is fed up of being upstaged by Kylie’s younger sister.

A source said: “Simon has a downer on Dannii. He says he wants women to be feisty and opinionated but when they are he doesn’t like it.

“He doesn’t feel in control. At the *moment he can’t stand her.”

The show’s current home at Fountain Studios can seat 600 fans a week but the Arena, which is just five minutes away, can hold up to 12,000 fans a night. The plans to switch venue would cost ITV an extra £300,000 a week, which Cowell is in the process of negotiating.

But Cowell yesterday warned he would axe The X Factor for good if the budget demands weren’t met.

“If we didn’t reach a deal with ITV then I would simply take a break – it’s as simple as that,” he said. “I wouldn’t work for *anyone else apart from ITV.

“I’m not looking for a pay rise. All I’ve asked for is an increase in budget. We need to hire more dancers and stylists. We need more people working on the show and that costs money. I need that commitment from ITV.”

Despite the threat Cowell assured fans he would be back on the panel if the deal is hammered out.

He also plans to sit on the panel of the US version of the X Factor when it launches in 2011. “I’m looking at a lot of ideas of how to make things better, what works and what doesn’t,” he added.

“I’m not going to step down. I like being on the show because at the end of the day you can protect the whole process.

“I have a lot at stake and when you sit there you can get involved and that’s probably the best thing about being a judge.

“My gut feeling is that X Factor will be on US TV in 18 months and I would like to be on the panel, that’s the plan.”

The success of the show, which has pulled in 14 million viewers twice a week over three months, has helped turn around the fortunes of ITV and the show has trounced BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in the winter ratings battle.

Cowell said the ballroom series had become victim of its own success and spent too much time copying the X Factor rather than focusing on its own brand.

“We didn’t get involved in a silly ratings war with the BBC which I think helped us,” he said. “We just looked at our own show and forgot about them.

“I saw too many elements of our show in their show. You don’t need to do that. They took themselves too seriously and they shot themselves in the foot.”

The winner of tonight’s show will be decided on the public’s vote alone. And they will include votes cast last night, prior to the third act being sent home.

Last night Stacey Solomon sang Feeling Good with Michael Buble and Wonderful World and Who Wants To Live Forever.

Olly Murs performed Angels with Robbie Williams and Superstition and Fool In Love. And Joe McElderry sang Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me with George Michael and Dance With My Father and Sorry Seems The Hardest Word.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...5875-21893116/

[megan999]

I am sad Stacey is out, but now I want Olly to win! Everyone who voted for Stacey should now vote for Olly

[Perdita]

But I like Joe too I have to wait for the last performance tonight to make up my mind, they are both so very good.

[Perdita]

The songlist for this year's X Factor final has been revealed.

Joe McElderry and Olly Murs will each be performing one song from the series in an attempt to win the £1m recording contract.

McElderry will repeat his rendition of Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing', while Murs will try to win votes with 'Twist And Shout'.

They will also each perform their version of the winner's single, 'The Climb' by Miley Cyrus.

The X Factor final starts tonight at 7.30pm on ITV1.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/xfactor/...-revealed.html

[*-Rooney-*]

I was hoping joe would go last night, i think he is more suited to the theatre, he is very theatrical

[hippychick215]

I was hoping joe would go last night, i think he is more suited to the theatre, he is very theatrical

JOE to winnnnnnnn

[*-Rooney-*]

I thought they would have sung Xmas songs, they have done evry other yr

[tammyy2j]

Its quiet a boring and dull final - come on Olly

[tammyy2j]

Joe won