The Prime of Mr Simon Cowell

Now we know a little more about the Cowell-Green blueprint for X Factor online expansion, I'm returning to the scene of the crime to try to understand how it'll work. The plan seems to be to host online shows from Las Vegas online two or three times per week with global punters paying for the privilege. I think this could be 'jump the shark' territory. Simon Cowell's great talent is for sales and marketing, as well as negotiation.

The problem is that Susan Boyle got famous (instantly) precisely because Britain's Got Talent was on terrestrial television and that people shared their enthusiasm virally via the likes of Twitter (famously showcased by Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's tweet), YouTube and Facebook. Where's the viral buzz going to come from from a show you have to pay for per view when X Factor fans can already get their fix for free by on the telly? The audience reach for eyeballs with time to watch all the coverage will be students, OAPs, prisoners and the unemployed, most of whom won't have much disposable income.

Simon Cowell will continue to earn loads of dough from the franchise, but he'll soon have to think up a new format to stay ahead of the game.