Simon Cowell Shades Little Mix's 'The Search' After Advising 'X Factor: The Band' Reject To Audition For Rival Show

2 December 2019, 12:02

Simon Cowell has taken a swipe at Little Mix’s new show, ‘The Search’.

Simon Cowell has thrown shade at Little Mix after he reportedly told an X Factor: The Band reject to apply for the singers’ new rival show, The Search.

A tabloid reported that during an audition for his upcoming programme, he dismissed a contestant, saying: “Little Mix are doing a show next year. You should apply, tell them I sent you.”

WATCH: Simon Cowell Explains The Controversy Between His Show And Little Mix's Show

A source then added: “It was obviously a real dig at the girls’ show. There is a proper feud.”

Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards have had ongoing beef with Simon since they left his label, SyCo, last year.

Simon recently appeared on Capital's Breakfast show with Rob Howard, who's covering for Roman Kemp while he's in the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! jungle and said: “We’d planned to do [The Band] in 2020, and for certain reasons, we thought we’re going to have to bring this show forward, this year.

“A lot of people have the same idea for a show at the same time. Little Mix actually came to see me a year and a half ago to say they were planning on doing [The Search] which I thought was going out in 2021."

To cut a long story short, Simon decided to bring his show forward because the ‘Woman Like Me’ hitmakers brought theirs forward too.

He has previously stated that he couldn’t co-produce The Search, as there was going to be a conflict of interest from the beginning.

The LM5 singers announced their BBC1 talent show in October, revealing they are searching for a band to support them on their summer 2020 tour.

Meanwhile, the 60-year-old talent judge revealed he aims to find a new band which will compete with Korean K-Pop acts such as BTS.

He said: “K-Pop is ruling the world. This is a show to find a band to launch UK-Pop. It’s more than winning a record contract, it’s starting a new music wave.

“Every group will be put together by us – just like One Direction, Little Mix and Fifth Harmony. It’s people who represent Britain’s version of K-Pop. That was always our plan.”

The X Factor spinoff will air its first episode on Saturday 9 December on ITV.

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