Dermot O’Leary has confirmed that Gary Barlow will leave ITV talent show The X Factor at the end of the year. The 42-year-old Take That singer had previously been rumoured to be planning an escape, but laughed off the reports when asked at the London arena auditions.
However, show host O’Leary now seems to have confirmed that he will be bidding farewell. Speaking at One Direction’s This Is Us premiere, he said:
“If Simon comes back, the dynamic would be very different. Gary wouldn’t be there – he’ll be leaving at the end of this year.
“Simon is a great judge so we’d welcome him back, but Gary’s been such a great head judge as well.”
Gary Barlow is to leave The X Factor (Screengrab)
Asked if he would ever accept a role as a judge on the series, he responded:
“Oh yeah man. I’d love to judge. I’d be so strict – I’d be nice and strict. “I’d be so hardcore. I’d say it how it is.”
The X Factor returns at the end of this month.
