The future of the Idol franchise is in jeopardy, as a court battle unfolds between producer Simon Fuller and the show's popular judge Simon Cowell, who went on to create his own British music reality competition, The X Factor, last year. Fuller and his company 19 TV are taking action against Cowell, claiming that The X Factor is a rip-off of shows like American Idol and Pop Idol.
The X Factor was further troubled today by the announcement that one of the show's core judges, Simon Walsh, was quitting the show midseason after suffering humiliation from the show's other judges, Cowell and Sharon Osbourne. Walsh is the manager of Irish boy band Westlife.
The rift between Fuller, producer of American Idol, and Cowell, the show's ascerbic core judge, could mean that Cowell's days on the popular show, set to begin its fifth season next spring, are numbered. Since its inception, Simon Cowell, known for his bitter remarks and harsh criticisms, has served as a judge along with Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. Cowell's mean-spirited commentary is a core fixture of the show, which has made him a celebrity in the US.
Cowell has called the legal action "utterly ridiculous." Court proceedings were set to begin today in London; however, they have been postponed until tomorrow, a sign that the parties may be trying to reach an out-of-court settlement.
Since debutting in the summer of 2002, American Idol has been one of the most successful shows on American television, and was the most popular show for the last two seasons. The show itself is a spin-off of the British Pop Idol, which since debutting in 2001, has also spun off versions in Norway, Australia, Denmark, Portugal, Malaysia, and New Zealand, among others.
American Idol and Pop Idol were the launching pods for international superstars Kelly Clarkson and Will Young, and launched a number of other acts that were also successful (sometimes only briefly) in their respective countries, including Gareth Gates, Darius (Danesh), and Sarah Whatmore in the UK, and Fantasia (Barrino), Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Joshua Gracin, Kimberley Locke, Bo Bice, and Carrie Underwood in the US.
X Factor debutted on British television in 2004, seemingly as a replacement for Pop Idol, which fizzled in its second season after winner Michelle (McManus) turned out to be a flop. The show's first season winner, Steve Brookstein, took his first single, a remake of "Against All Odds" to #1 in January of this year. The show is currently airing its second season, where 12 musical acts (not always individuals, like on Idol) are being narrowed down each week by audience votes. Currently, there are six acts remaining.
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