Simon Cowell: Paloma Faith called me to ask if she should do The Voice
X Factor boss says the new BBC coach wanted his “feeling” on the role
Simon Cowell appears to be between a rock and a hard place after replacing former X Factor judge Louis Walsh on the panel this year, but is still considering bringing him back during live shows.
"What’s so weird is that when he was on the show I’d always have people complaining about him, now he’s gone it’s like ,‘why isn’t he there’. So I don’t know what’s going to happen," Cowell told Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid.
But it looks like the idea of a live show return - in some sort of 'guest judge' role - is still on the table.
“I couldn’t just bring him back. I do like the idea of maybe having a guest judge, something like that, that’s a possibility.”
Reid joked Walsh would need another chair at the end of the judges' desk to which Cowell replied: “Yeah or in the middle.”
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Of his new judges - Radio 1's Nick Grimshaw and pop star Rita Ora - the boss said he's impressed.
After being offered a coaching role on next year’s The Voice, singer Paloma Faith called X Factor boss Simon Cowell for his advice, the music mogul revealed.
“Paloma called me about two weeks ago and said she’s been offered the show, good money, what do you think? I said: ‘Do it, it’ll be good for you.’” Cowell told RadioTimes.com at last night's launch of The X Factor 2015.
It may seem an odd move. Paloma has turned down the chance to be a judge on his show in the past, at the time saying she wasn't "emotionally equipped to deal with the scrutiny and that level of celebrity that's not about [her] music". But Cowell dismissed that.
“Me and Paloma are friends. Not that she wanted my consent, but she wanted my feeling on it. But I thought, yeah, it will be perfect for you.”
Paloma’s addition to the singing show follows pop star Rita Ora’s departure to team Cowell, making up part of this year’s revamped X Factor series. Boy George will join Paloma as a fellow newbie, after the much-discussed replacement of Sir Tom Jones. Will.I.Am and Ricky Wilson return to complete The Voice’s 2016 line-up.
The Voice returns to BBC next year. The X Factor starts this Saturday at 8:00pm on ITV
