Simon Cowell abandons quest for new One Direction as reality TV show fizzles

Simon Cowell has abandoned his ambitious quest to recreate the success of One Direction, revealing that Britain's talent pool has failed to meet his high expectations. 

His latest reality TV series, The Midas Touch, aimed at discovering the next big boyband, will now shift focus to spotlight Cowell himself after disappointing results.

The show, which has been holding auditions for 16 to 18-year-olds in Liverpool, Dublin, and London, has struggled to attract standout performers. 

Despite extensive promotion on social media, attendance has been lackluster, and many of the acts have been underwhelming, with some contestants reportedly being cast-offs from other rejected bands.

Cowell famously formed One Direction on The X Factor in 2010, with Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, and Zayn Malik going on to achieve global stardom despite finishing third. 

However, it seems his latest venture has not lived up to the same success, leading to a major shift in the show's direction.

Sources reveal that the original vision for the series—creating a new boyband to rival One Direction’s success—has had to be rethought. 

The focus is now shifting to spotlighting Cowell himself, following disappointing results from the auditions.

An insider shared, "Simon has been advised that the concept of the series needs to be reworked. Instead of building a boyband with massive potential, the show will now center more on him."