Simon Cowell's new Netflix series aiming to find 'the new One Direction' has reportedly been axed and the project is being remodelled into a documentary about his "downfall".
The show, called The Midas Touch, was an ambitious project to assemble a new British boyband capable of worldwide success in the vein of One Direction, who were assembled by Cowell on The X Factor.
Auditions were said to have been a washout, however, with dates in Newcastle cancelled and audience of only dozens showing up in Liverpool last month.
According to the Daily Mail, Netflix has now decided to axe the show and instead allegedly make a programme about how Cowell's days of finding top new music talent may be over.
"Simon has been told the original idea behind the series needs to change," a source told the newspaper. "Rather than focusing on the creation of a boyband capable of going on to massive success, the focus is now much more on him.
"His frustration is at the auditions where many of the singers turning up are cast-offs from bands that didn't make it.
"But perhaps more crucially, Simon has been told to come to terms with the fact that maybe the era of the chart-topping boyband is over. It is devastating for him."
The inside added: "It's going to be a documentary on Simon coming to terms with the fact the golden days of discovering boybands might be over. It might be compelling viewing to watch his downfall after so many years as the star of Saturday night TV."
Netflix and Cowell have yet to comment on the story.
Neil Wilkes
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