Simon Cowell has suggested that The X Factor USA's ratings will rise as the first season progresses.
Prior to The X Factor's debut, Cowell appeared to claim that the series would be a disappointment if it didn't pull in 20m viewers for its premiere.
The X Factor USA's two-night premiere fell short of Cowell's hopes, averaging 12.2m for the first episode and 12.1m for the second.
Cowell has clarified his previous remarks, explaining that his actual goal is for The X Factor to reach 20m viewers by the end of its first season.
"[There] was a slight misunderstanding. I wasn't saying I want 20 million for the first episode. I said we wanna hit 20 million," he told Access Hollywood Live. "Of course that went out there and I thought, 'I have really opened my big mouth here because anything now under 20 is a disaster'. As much as people want you to succeed, there's a ton of people that want you to fail and I took a bit in the neck that first day."
Cowell went on to say he is confident that The X Factor will continue to attract new viewers on a weekly basis.
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"I do believe [we'll hit our goals] - in time, because I believe in the show - we're gonna hit those numbers. You've gotta remember - this is a new show," the judge said.
Cowell previously suggested that many of his critics are rooting for The X Factor to fail.
The X Factor airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8/7c on Fox.
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Watch the X Factor judges evaluate contestant Tiah Tolliver below:
Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
