Simon Cowell has said his dream X Factor final line-up would include Ben Haenow, Fleur East and Lauren Platt – but not Andrea Faustini, who he thinks has peaked too soon.

Simon Cowell with his X Factor finalists
Simon with his X Factor finalists including Fleur and Ben (Syco/Thames TV)

The ITV contest boss said that he was championing his remaining two acts and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini’s last girl Lauren, but reckoned show favourite Andrea, who is mentored by Mel B, had lost his X Factor.

X Factor finalist Lauren Platt
(Syco/Thames TV)

He told The Sun: “As long as Fleur and Ben are in [the final], we’ll have a proper final – where you just don’t know who’s going to win. I love that idea.”

X Factor finalist Andrea Faustini
(Syco/Thames TV)

But when he was asked if he’d like to see Andrea win, he said: “No, because I think he’s peaked. It’s the same thing week after week.”

The music mogul also threw into doubt how much time he would have to make another UK series of The X Factor when he revealed that he would be making four US TV shows in 2015.

He said: “There’s another show that I will be on in America – a new one, which we’ve been working on for a few months. Next year we’ll have a minimum of four shows on US networks.”