When Simon Cowell’s “Amer ican Idol” rival show “X Factor” comes to the US, expect the rallying cry to be “You’re going to . . . Las Vegas.”
Cowell, who is still in talks with Fox and NBC about bringing the talent show to American TV, said over the weekend that his plans are to set up shop in Las Vegas when the deal is finally done.
“Vegas is tailor-made for this show,” says Sir Philip Green, the retail store-billionaire who is now partners with Cowell.
“To sing in Vegas? I mean, hell, you get to the final 12 [and tell them] ‘Your dream’s come true — you’re going to sing in Vegas!’ ”
In an interview the pair gave to British GQ magazine, Cowell and Green suggest that they plan to replace Hollywood, the home of “Idol.”
“We’ll have a store. And it’ll be online,” Green says. “It’s taking it up a peg.”
“X Factor,” which began in Britain in 2005 and is now the No. 1 series there, has 19 spin-off versions in countries as diverse as France and Kazakhstan.
Cowell is right now prohibited by his $45-million-a-year “Idol” from bringing the show here. But that contract expires after this season and any new deal will likely give him the right to start a US version.