Fox's 'X Factor' to Have Two Hosts (Exclusive)

Simon Cowell may not be ready to reveal all the judges of his upcoming Fox show The X Factor, but The Hollywood Reporter is happy to announce one scoop: The show will have two hosts.

Speaking in the latest issue of THR, Cecile Frot-Coutaz - CEO of FremantleMedia North America (which produces X Factor) - says she is ensuring the Cowell’s old show American Idol and his new one won’t cannibalize each other’s audiences.   “Our job is to make sure the two shows are as distinct as possible,” she tells THR. “For example: We’re making sure there are two entirely different teams with no overlap in terms of individuals who are working on both shows. And from a format and tonal standpoint, they’re very different. In terms of casting the judges, again, we’re making sure the looks are different. And I can reveal that we’ll have two hosts on The X Factor.”   When it comes to producing or taking on a new show, Frot-Coutaz tells THR: "The overriding thing is that we’re a global company, so we’re not just looking to produce for the local market. We want shows that are format-able, transferable, promotable and fairly universal in appeal. That’s the business model: to make 30 versions of it. Familiarity is important, too. There was nothing that original about Idol Š but it was a different way of presenting something that was familiar. And you have to be able to scale up, so if a show only works for two or three episodes, that’s also not a good thing. Then sometimes, the best ideas are the ones you stumble upon which come in through the back door."