Media mogul Simon Cowell has reportedly claimed that One Direction were responsible for saving the X Factor.

The band, made up of Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne, were put together by the judges during the show in 2010 and have since found success in both the UK and the US.

Simon had reportedly been worried about recent X Factor winners not reaching the levels of success that previous stars such as Leona Lewis have, but now that One Direction have made it big, it’s restored his faith in the show.

Speaking to the Daily Star he said: “I thought, ‘If we don’t find real stars, it’s a waste of everyone’s time’.

“They [One Direction] are number one in 30 countries. That’s when you realise it’s really worth making this show.”

The new series of X Factor USA is just about to start in America, with Britney Spears and Demi Lovato joining Simon and LA Reid on the judging panel, and Niall Horan tweeted Demi to congratulate her on her new job.

He wrote: “”Congrats @ddlovato …look after @SimonCowell uncle simon for us [sic].”

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