Some Absolutely Staggering Facts About American Idol You Should Know Before You Start Watching Again

They Got Abandoned

Photo Credit: SGranitz / WireImage / Getty Images

It looked like Simon Cowell saw the writing on the wall for American Idol when he decided to leave after nine seasons and start another singing contest. That show would be called X-Factor, which was a huge hit in the UK but not as much so in the US.

The show launched the careers of One Direction, Leona Lewis, and Little Mix in the UK while being the launching point for Fifth Harmony in the US version. Cowell has always been an impressive judge of talent, but his style (his rude comments) have been off-putting to many.