Simon Cowell’s hopes of pulling back viewers to The X Factor with a dramatic overhaul of the judging panel appears to have flopped as ratings reportedly slumped in the opening weekend.

The new series of the ITV talent show launched on Saturday night with an average audience of 7.11 million, around two million less than last year, according to unofficial estimates.

(PA)
(PA)

Only 5.9 million people tuned in to watch Sunday night’s audition show, meaning The X Factor lost 1.2 million viewers overnight.

Simon had ditched old friend Louis Walsh from the panel after 11 years and replaced him with Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw, and also poached Rita Ora from rival BBC show The Voice to join him and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini on the judging panel.

(PA)
(PA)

Host Dermot O’Leary has been replaced with Caroline Flack and Olly Murs and a number of other changes have been made to the format of the later stages, but the revamp does not appear to have paid off.

Another change to the show is that viewers can vote on Twitter for which category they want the judges to mentor, but that also seems to have failed to boost interest.

(PA)
(PA)

Last week Simon said he was confident of beating Strictly Come Dancing in the ratings war: “I’d hate to say yes, because I know what will happen if I say yes – it will come back and haunt me.

“This show does feel better, the talent’s great, they’re interesting, so if it’s us versus Peter Andre, I’m going to put my money on us.”