The X Factor is set to return to ITV after seven years with a younger judging panel and Cowell behind the scenes

ITV and Talkback Thames are in discussions about bringing The X Factor back to screens after a seven-year absence, with the broadcaster said to be eager to fill a significant gap in its weekend entertainment lineup. At its height the show pulled in nearly 20 million viewers and was the launchpad for One Direction, Little Mix and Leona Lewis. Those behind the revival reportedly want a 'modern makeover' built around a new, younger panel rather than a straightforward recreation of the original.

ITV had invested heavily in new formats including Graham Norton's 'The Neighbourhood' and Stephen Mangan's 'The Fortune Hotel', both of which performed poorly.

Simon Cowell is expected to come back 'in some capacity', though the reported plan positions him as a behind-the-scenes figure rather than the lead judge at the front of the panel.

Cowell himself raised the question earlier this year: 'Do you bring it back as X Factor or do you bring it back as the Z Factor?'