Simon Cowell reveals when The X Factor will come to an end

With The X Factor live final just days away, Simon Cowell is already looking forward to the future. The music mogul has admitted he already knows when he will call time on the long-running entertainment show, following a number of rumours that the next series in 2016 will be the last.

"If terrible contestants turn up over the next two years and they are rubbish, that's the time to call it a day," Simon told The Daily Star.

© Photo: Getty Images

Simon Cowell has said he is not giving up on The X Factor yet

However he is not giving up on the show just yet. "The show still gets over ten million with catch-up and repeats. I don't think that's a crisis," he said. "People still talk about it, the still vote, they still buy the records. I'm not going to say everything is perfect but you know what I'm like, I never give up."

The music mogul also hinted that there could be a shake-up to the show after hosts Caroline Flack and Olly Murs received mixed reactions from audiences, along with new judge Nick Grimshaw.

"I am starting to warm to Caroline and Olly much more now," Simon said. "Nick's definitely got more popular on the live shows than in the auditions. I don't know if there would be scope for Dermot [O'Leary] or Louis [Walsh] to come back but when I go through the research we have to listen to what people liked and take it into account."

© Photo: ITV

Simon suggested Olly and Caroline's fate could be in the public's hands

He added that their fate could ultimately be left in the public's hands.

"We will make changes next year. I won't make decisions on my own, I will listen to the fans of the show."

It was previously suggested that The X Factor format may be rested from 2017 as ITV take over rival singing show The Voice from BBC. Girl group Little Mix are among the people who think the show should "take a break" – despite rising to fame after winning the competition in 2011.

Speaking to Digital Spy, Jade Thirlwall explained: "I think The X Factor is a brilliant show, but it has [been on] every year and maybe people will appreciate it more."