Cowell wants political 'X Factor' show

Simon Cowell would reportedly like to stage a political showdown in the style of The X Factor during the run-up to the next general election.

The media mogul said that a debate between Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Conservative leader David Cameron could be injected with a bit of "fun" with music and "loads of spotlights".

Cowell told GQ that he would be up for the challenge. He said: "Like the presidential debates in America. I'd like to produce that here. I would! Just for the hell of it! Make it a bit more fun.

"Like we have on The X Factor. Down the steps, and some music and loads of spotlights."

Cowell added that he has a number of shows in the pipeline and that one of them is out of his normal comfort zone.

"I never talk about them in advance, for obvious reasons. But there are a couple of things coming up. One of them non-music related that probably excites me more than anything I've ever done," he said.