Simon Cowell revealed that he knew the last series of X Factor would not be fun because something didn't feel right during filming.
He said Cheryl Fernandez-Versini wasn't herself during the filming of the show last year. but is much happier this year.
He told Hello! magazine: 'She's definitely happier than she was a year ago, much happier ... I think sometimes you can go through years when everything gets a bit too much and I think for Cheryl - I don't know what it was about last year - there was something off.
'The last series just didn't feel right to me from the minute I started recording it. I never felt it was going to be fun.'
He added: 'This year, it feels different. I'm not putting it down to Cheryl, but she's in a different place, I'm in a different place.'
Simon has completely shaken up the judging panel this year: after reinstating Cheryl last year, he recruited Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora for the forthcoming series, after Louis left after 11 years on the panel.
He says he is over the judging panel feuds and wants the full focus to be on contestants.
He adds: 'I'm kind of bored with all the fights. I just want to get it back to the talent.'
Olly Murs who is hosting the show with Caroline Flack revealed "Everyone was unsure how it was going to fit together at the start.
"You’re putting three or four different people in – me and Caroline plus two new judges - so you never quite know how its going be, but from day one it’s really worked and you have to give credit to Simon Cowell for seeing that and believing in it."
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