Simon Cowell’s ‘The X-Factor’ canceled after 17 years. Time to stop the music. Simon Cowell’s singing competition series “The X-Factor” has been canceled after 17 years on the air. The U.K. channel, ITV, confirmed the news and said "there are no current plans for the next series of ‘The X Factor’ at this stage." The show was created by Cowell, 61, and first aired in 2004. Through the years, 445 episodes have aired. The last season hit the airwaves in 2018. Cowell’s next TV show will be "Walk the Line," a musical quiz show for ITV. While the series has yet to set a premiere date, the six-part show will debut before the end of 2021.