Olly Murs has quit ‘The X Factor’.
The 31-year-old pop star has decided to pull the plug on the talent show after just one series as co-host with presenter Caroline Flack, 36, and says he’s leaving to focus on his music.
He told The Sun newspaper: "This was an incredibly hard decision to make and one I didn’t take lightly as I’ve really enjoyed co-hosting ‘The X Factor’.
"It’s been one big adventure and I loved every minute of it. But my heart belongs to music and I want to concentrate 100 per cent on making my next album and getting back to performing."
The cheeky Essex heartthrob admitted he first realised he couldn’t balance both music and his hosting role in November of last year.
He added: "Last November I was doing the show, promoting a new single and I felt increasingly like the music side of things had to be shoehorned into the TV schedule.
"Now that I’ve started working on my next album I couldn’t see myself having the time to do both."
The news of Olly’s departure comes as an insider said Simon Cowell was keen to give him the chance to "walk before he’s pushed".
A source said: "Simon Cowell likes Olly and doesn’t want him to go under a cloud so he’s being given the chance to walk before he’s pushed. Olly always said he would never present the show without Caroline. "They come as a package. He had a good time on the show and got on very well with everyone but realises his forte is music."
Meanwhile, Caroline’s future on the singing show is still uncertain.
Olly Murs quits The X Factor
