Simon Cowell has cancelled his upcoming appearance as a judge on the new season on The X Factor Israel.
The reality television mogul signed a contract in 2020 to appear as a judge on the upcoming season of the Israeli talent show, which is set to begin filming this summer.
At the time, Cowell said he could “barely wait to see what the Israelis have to offer.”
However, Cowell has now pulled out of the show, with production company Reshet, which produces The X Factor Israel, confirming the news to Variety. It declined to say whether Cowell would play any role in the production of the show, and said he had made the decision "for his own reasons".
Rumours of Cowell terminating his involvement in the show began last week, with members of his team reportedly reaching out to Reshet with "legitimate concerns" over the recent violence in Gaza.
However, a report in Jewish News claimed that Cowell was "bitterly disappointed" that he could not take part in the series for a "number of reasons".
Cowell has made no official comment. The Britain's Got Talent judge had been taking a break from television after breaking his back in a bike accident last year.
The X Factor Israel will begin filming over the summer, and for the first time, the winner will be selected as Israel's entry for the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.
Israeli singers Aviv Geffen, Ran Danker, Miri Mesika and Margalit Tzanani will serve as judges on the show, alongside 2018 Eurovision winner Netta Barzilai.
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