X Factor needs to take a break, says Dermot O'Leary

Ever the rock of sense, Dermot O'Leary has weighed in with his views on the ever declining X Factor viewership, suggesting that the show would benefit from going off air for a year or so. (Or you know, forever...)

O'Leary hosted the talent competition for eight years and his presence was most certainly missed in the last series where Caroline Flack and Olly Murs took over presenting duties.

O'Leary told Radio Times; "If I was Simon I'd take it off air for a year. I'd rest it, and then I'd get back to the rooms. For me it was always room, arena, boot camp."

One of the many adjustments to the X Factor format this year was to get rid of room auditions and go straight to the arena, but that's yet another change that X Factor fans didn't really get on board with.

While Dermot also added how much he disliked the Six Chair Challenge, which sees contestants battle it out in front of a live audience for their place on a coveted chair in a, let's face it, Hunger Games style process.

"I was really uncomfortable about the Six Chair Challenge," O'Leary said. "I don't think it's a particularly nice bit of television."

On his decision to leave the show, the presenter said; "I lived for the live shows. And I was still having fun doing them, but it got to the point where I couldn't develop anything else. And you've only got one life, haven't you?"

Dermot is just about to take on a new gig however presenting The Getaway Car on BBC1 which he describes as like "Total Wipeout with an element of Gogglebox chucked in."

It sees contestants take on assault courses guided by their loved ones, with those who make it to the final getting to take on The Stig for the chance to win a £10,000 prize.

The Getaway Car begins on BBC One on January 16th. Looks like good craic...