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Simon Cowell pulls out of X Factor Israel
By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 1 June 2021
Simon Cowell has cancelled plans to join the judging panel of this year’s series of ‘X Factor Israel’.
In a statement to Variety, a spokesperson for broadcaster Reshet said that Cowell had pulled out of the show “for his own reasons”.
A source then told Jewish News: “Simon won’t be going to Israel after all. I know it has already been announced that he was one of the judges, but for a number of reasons he just can’t be there in Israel to film the show now. Of course he is bitterly disappointed – but it was a decision he had to take”.
The issue being skirted in both those statements, of course, is the recent renewed fighting between Israel and Hamas. Although last week a spokesperson for Reshet did tell Variety that Cowell’s team had raised “legitimate concerns” about his appearance on the show, following the recent violence in Gaza.
However, that doesn’t mean his decision to bail was entirely down to the political situation in the region. Apparently there have also been concerns about Cowell’s work schedule as he continues to recover from breaking his back last year. And he is also currently appearing as a judge on ‘America’s Got Talent’.
Had it gone ahead, this was due to be Cowell’s first appearance on one of the talent shows he created outside of the UK or US. When his judging role on ‘X Factor Israel’ was first announced in December last year, he said: “Over the years the ‘X Factor’ format discovered amazing talents from all over the world, I can’t wait to see what Israel have to offer”.
Cowell was also actively involved in putting the rest of the judging panel together – which includes 2018 Eurovision winner Netta Barzilai – with the winner of this series of ‘X Factor Israel’ due to represent the country at Eurovision next year.
