A rebooted version of X Factor Israel is set to select the country’s artist for Eurovision 2022. The switch from The Next Star was confirmed in April, along with the news that Simon Cowell would be on the judging panel. However, that is no longer the case. The US entertainment industry magazine Variety reports that he’s pulling out for personal reasons.
Simon Cowell will not judge Israel’s X Factor or Eurovision 2022 selection
A spokesperson for Reshet, the broadcaster behind X Factor Israel, said that Cowell was withdrawing from the project “for his own reasons.” The network declined to say whether the music mogul would be involved in the production in any other way outside of judging.
According to Variety, Cowell’s staff reached out to Reshet with “legitimate concerns” over his participation in the show following the recent violence between Israel and Palestine. Representatives for the famously snarky British talent show judge have yet to publicly respond. However, a Jewish News source close to Cowell says he was “bitterly disappointed” that he could not take part for “a number of reasons.”
Cowell is still recovering from a broken back which he received in a bike accident last year. At the time, he was forced to withdraw from several TV commitments, including the 2020 season of America’s Got Talent.
X Factor Israel judges confirmed
As previously confirmed, Eurovisision 2018 winner Netta Barzilai and singer Aviv Geffen will be on the judging panel. They’ll be joined by three more Israeli singers Ran Danker, Miri Mesika and Margalit Tzanani.
They will be charged not only with finding an X Factor winner but also Israel’s next Eurovision star. Between 2015 and 2020, the country has been represented by the winner of rival TV talent show The Next Star. Eden Alene was automatically reselected for 2021 after the 2020 contest was cancelled. However, KAN put the process to tender earlier this year and Next Star broadcaster KESHET 12 lost out.
Reshet won the bid, meaning the rebooted X Factor format will now be used. This makes Israel the second country to link its local version of X Factor with Eurovision. Malta used the talent show to select its acts in 2019 and 2020.
Eden Alene is actually the reigning X Factor Israel champion having won the last season in January 2018.
Are you disappointed that Simon Cowell won’t be involved? Are you excited to see the show anyway? Let us know below.
Israel needs to send some in Hebrew again instead of all the commercial pop. Our new method has worked well but it doesn’t show our authentic music, like 2005 2008 or 2010
The real and more interesting issue is whether this method of choosing an entry is really working for Israel… OK, they had one victory. But Netta was really exceptional during her talent show and had creative input to Toy. On the other hand, they now have two very maigre results… The time of fabricated songs with one voice is over…
Who cares about Simon Cowell anyways. That guy sucks ass
I wouldn’t be surprised if it was just a publicity stunt and he never meant to come in the first place. Anyway, I never understood how it was going to work
The real and more interesting issue is whether this method of choosing an entry is really working for Israel… OK, they had one victory. But Netta was really exceptional during her talent show and had creative input to Toy. On the other hand, they now have two very maigre results… The time of fabricated songs with one voice is over…
Yeah “personal reasons” being that he doesn’t want gen Z cancelling him for participating lmao
Looks like we got a 14yo girl over here
I know this is random, irrelevant and off-topic, so feel free to downvote!
I was wondering what would’ve happened if Kazakhstan sent their JESC 2020 entry to ESC 2021 with their live-on-tape performance. I mean, how well would “Forever” fare with both the juries and the televoting?
A least top 10 I guess. That performance was Eurovision ready
Anyway, the last time I saw Simon Cowell, he was sitting at a table with Scooby-Doo …
I want them to bring back the Kdam. Enough with the reality shows. It’s fake, exhausting and boring.
Why not an Israeli Melodifestivalen-like Kdam? Israel could easily produce such a show.
we had a similar show in 2013 and that was not a big success
Yes, I remember, yet one failed attempt doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try again almost 10 years later with a much better production, understanding, conclusions and experience.
I don’t think KAN could afford producing a high quality show with their relatively low budget (compared to the commercial channels).
On the other hand, I fear that Reshet, just like Keshet would provide us once more with a great voice but a generic song that we’ve heard a gazillion times before.
A good voice is important, yes.. but i think it’s time to find good artists that also have a good voice, and not just good voices and than letting the commercial channels pair them with generic songs that they possibly don’t even like.
Fair enough, Simon Cowell is the creator of the show and all but that doesn’t mean he must be present in every single international edition of it…
I think even without the political dimension this was never going to work (Cowell being a judge that is).
Bring back Kdam.
Tbh I had more doubts then faith and wish for this to happen from starters so I am not suprised… It was a rushed idea..
They don’t really need him there..
It is better to be without him.
It was ridicilous from the first. Why would Simon Cowell take part of Israeli selection? He could help his own country , UK. And Israel should use their own judges
It actually makes sense to me, because at Eurovision they won’t be judged by an Israeli jury, so it’s reasonable to have international jury members when choosing your song.
This is about picking the singer, not the song… which I don’t like.