America will soon be able to get its fix of Simon Cowell again.
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AXS TV has announced it's inked a deal with FremantleMedia International and Cowell's production company Syco Entertainment to bring the original U.K. version of The X Factor to the U.S. for the first time ever.
Cowell, who created and judged the American version of The X Factor -- which got canceled after its third season aired in Fall 2013 and delivered poor ratings for Fox -- will be joining Melanie "Mel B." Brown, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Louis Walsh as regular judges on the panel.
Cowell will be returning after three years away, Mel B. -- an America's Got Talent judge and former Spice Girl -- will be making her first appearance as a full-time judge after previously only serving as a guest judge on the series. British pop singer Fernandez-Versini -- formerly known as Cheryl Cole -- will make a comeback after a three-year hiatus, while Walsh -- a music manager -- has been with the UK show for all 11 seasons since its 2004 premiere.
Dermot O'Leary will return as host for the new season, which will run 34 episodes. The next edition of The X Factor UK will feature the initial auditions, boot camp installments and usual live broadcasts.
The X Factor UK, which is co-produced by Syco Entertainment and Thames TV, will air on Sundays and Mondays starting on August 31 at 8PM ET/PT -- only 24 hours after the respective UK broadcasts.
"The X Factor UK is a perfect addition to the AXS TV lineup, as we continue to showcase the best music programming on television," AXS TV founder Mark Cuban said in a statement.
"The level of talent that the series has produced is unprecedented, and to have Simon Cowell back as a judge -- I'm confident that our audience will embrace these new stars wholeheartedly. I'm proud that AXS TV has the opportunity to be at the forefront of this popular music franchise to showcase talented vocalists."
The X Factor's third US season concluded in December of last year with singing duo Alex & Sierra being crowned champions. The finale drew only 6.2 million viewers, a sharp decline from 12.6 million, which the show's first-season finale drew.
"Last year, for a number of reasons, I had to make a decision to return to the UK version of The X Factor in 2014. So for now, I'm back to the UK and I want to thank Fox for being an incredible partner and I also want to thank everybody who has supported my shows. America, I'll see you soon!" Cowell said in a February statement.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
