Sharon Osbourne takes chat show pay cut to film new series of The X Factor
The chat show panelist has to take time off The Talk for filming in UK
AFTER the love-hate relationship she’s had with SIMON COWELL, you’d think it would take a blank cheque to tempt SHARON OSBOURNE back on The X Factor.
But Sharon has taken a financial hit to get back on the judging panel.
While Simon is paying full whack to get the outspoken music manager back alongside him, Sharon has negotiated a cut-price deal in her other telly job — on CBS chat show The Talk — to make time to fly between the two programmes.
The Talk producers admit they have allowed Sharon to “take time away”, but insiders say she is getting a pay reduction for doing fewer hours.
A TV source said: “Sharon managed to get herself out of a tricky position after being booked for both shows.
“It was a delicate balance, but she won in the end.
The three fan favourites are back
“She and her team held lengthy negotiations with The Talk, reaching a compromise where she would use holiday time for filming The X Factor and also take a pay cut for missing time later in the year.
“CBS had no intention of losing Sharon as she is an integral part of the show and generates huge headlines for them, but they also couldn’t be seen to let her do whatever she wants.”
The streamlined pay packet won’t be the only way Sharon will suffer — she’ll also spend most of the next few months on and off planes in order to make the set-up work.
The source added: “They have reached a compromise but it will be tough for Sharon. Trekking back and forth across the Atlantic every week is draining, especially when the time differences mean that she will be jumping off planes and straight into studios due to the hectic schedules.
“But Sharon has been optimistic that she and Simon can bring The X Factor back to the top.”
A busy schedule has already taken its toll on Simon.
He hopes to recover from flu in time for the first set of X Factor auditions this Friday in Leicester City’s King Power Stadium.
He was too sick to join long-term partner LAUREN SILVERMAN at his own ball last Thursday, staying home with son ERIC.
I revealed in April that Sharon was rejoining the panel, alongside NICOLE SCHERZINGER and LOUIS WALSH, with RITA ORA and CHERYL leaving.
Maybe Sharon just wants another chance to chuck a glass of water in Louis’s face.
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