Netta Barzilai, Simon Cowell to judge 'The X Factor' in Israel

For this year's X Factor, Barzilai will be joined by British television personality Simon Cowell, who will also judge the fourth season of the X Factor in Israel.

MARCH 11, 2021 17:28

Israel’s Netta reacts after winning the Grand Final of Eurovision Song Contest 2018 at the Altice Arena hall in Lisbon, Portugal, last May. (photo credit: PEDRO NUNES/REUTERS) — Israel’s Netta reacts after winning the Grand Final of Eurovision Song Contest 2018 at the Altice Arena hall in Lisbon, Portugal, last May.

(photo credit: PEDRO NUNES/REUTERS)

Israeli Eurovision winner Netta Barzilai is poised to judge the fourth season of The X Factor in Israel, according to Channel 13.

Barzilai rose to fame as a 2018 Eurovision contestant and won the competition with the song "Toy," written by Doron Madali. Following the competition, the song reached number one on the music charts of more than 44 countries, breaking viewing records on Tiktok and YouTube in the process.

Barzilai has gone on to release other original songs that have since achieved national recognition, including her song "Bassa Sababa," which reached over 158 million views on YouTube.

For this year's The X Factor, Barzilai will be joined by British television personality Simon Cowell, who will also judge the fourth season of The X Factor in Israel, according to Yahoo News.

Cowell, the original creator of The X Factor, has been judging the British competition since the first season aired in 2004. Cowell also founded ITV's Britain's Got Talent.

"Over the years The X Factor format discovered amazing talents from all over the world, I can’t wait to see what Israel has to offer," Cowell said, according to Yahoo.

“I'm very lucky to be sitting next to Simon and not in front of him, Because otherwise I would s**t my pants," Barzilai said.

"Excited to be part of X Factor Israel and show the Israeli talents to the world.”

The X Factor has aired three non-consecutive seasons in Israel (2013, 2014 and 2018), on Channel 13, with Israeli supermodel Bar Rafaeli as the staple host of the show.

The three competitions showcased some of Israel's top talents, including singers, composers, judges and songwriters such as Eden Ben Zaken, Moshe Peretz and Eden Alene, who was set to represent Israel in the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest.

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The new season of The X Factor Israel has just gone into production and should air in 2021 on Channel 13. This will be Cowell's first appearance as a judge outside the UK or the US.

Cowell and Barzilai both support the US NGO Friends of the IDF (FIDF).

Cowell donated $150,000 to the cause in 2013 and Barzilai performed at various FIDF fundraisers across the US.

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.