Olly Murs is tipped to be the new host of The X Factor after Dermot O'Leary announced he was leaving the show, but he has one condition for the role. The singer says he would only take the job if his friend Caroline Flack could present with him.
The duo co-hosted The Xtra Factor together in 2011 and 2012, and Olly says he wouldn't want to return to the ITV entertainment show without her.
"There's no way I would even discuss doing the job on my own to replace Dermot. Dermot is one of my best mates in the industry," Olly told The Sun. "He's my showbiz brother. I would never do the job on my own and never try to be Dermot O'Leary."
© Photo: Getty ImagesOlly Murs said he would only host The X Factor with Caroline Flack
He continued: "The only way I would even think or talk about it would be if Caroline was doing it with me because me and Caroline were great together.
"I wouldn't want us to be compared to Dermot, because Dermot is brilliant at what he is. It would be completely different to what Dermot did."
Olly's latest claims come just days after he revealed he ignored rumours that he would be taking over the job. Speaking during the unveiling of his new waxwork at Madame Tussauds, he said: "Every year there is speculation that I am going to do The X Factor, as a judge or a presenter, and I just ignore it."
© Photo: Getty ImagesDermot O'Leary announced he was leaving The X Factor in March
The judging panel could also be facing a shake-up in 2015, as Simon Cowell is reportedly auditioning potential replacements for Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Louis Walsh in a bid to revamp the programme.
One person Olly would love to see join the panel is Robbie Williams, who he became friends with after the pair sang a duet together on the show in 2009.
"If he was asked to do the role – and I don't know if he'd take it or not – he would be pretty amazing at it," Olly said. "You can't not love Robbie. He's very outspoken. He's a great person to be around. If they were to sign him up, it would 100 percent attract more people to audition.
"It's his decision. I don't know if he'd listen to me."
