Joe McElderry: X Factor revival needs to be less cruel

Joe McElderry says 'The X Factor' must be less "cruel" when it returns to TV.

Simon Cowell is planning to bring back the show back in 2023 but Joe - who won the singing competition back in 2009 - thinks that the judges should no longer be mean to contestants on the revamped series.

He told the Daily Star Sunday newspaper: "I think 'X Factor' was brilliant when I did the show but then it just became too cruel with the six-chair challenge.

"At what point do you stop being cruel for entertainment?"

Joe explained that viewers want to see more kindly television in the wake of the pandemic and called those auditioning to be protected.

The 31-year-old star said: "I think the entertainment industry has changed post-Covid too. I don't think people want to watch people being horrible to people for entertainment value or for ratings.

"They don't want to see people upset or devastated, so I think if it does come back it would need a major revamp."

It was reported earlier this month that 'The X Factor' was at the centre of a bidding war between ITV and Channel 5 as bosses at the former want to get the programme back.

A source said: "After Simon Cowell decided to bring 'X Factor' back, he reached advanced talks with Channel 5.

"But now ITV execs have made it very clear they want the show.

"They're trying to convince Simon to ditch Channel 5 and go with them instead."

The show is expected to return in 2023, with production staff already on board and auditions expected to take place in the next few months.