It's happened. Simon Cowell has finally gotten around to rejecting an entire nation.

The Irish Sun today reports that The X Factor aren't arsed darkening our shores this year. A "show insider" was all too willing to blab: "There is only so many places we can go on the audition trail. We went to Dublin last year but we haven't been to Liverpool so we thought we should so that this year. Obviously this is a blow to the Irish contestants but anyone is welcome to attend any audition they like. It's only a short hop across the Irish sea to Liverpool." Not if yer broke.

The article continues: "The move to axe the Dublin trials is believed to be under the orders of show boss, Simon Cowell, who was underwhelmed with the standard of Irish contestants last year." Eh, Mary Byrne, finalist. Niall Horan, finalist. That Rebecca bird from Belle Amie, finalist. As for the year before, well, Jedward and their sexual ambiguity are still going down a storm. Man, the Dutch are going to love them at the Eurovision... assuming they go through... it's two pretty twins singing a song about lipstick; if they don't go through it's a crime against Eurovision and everything it (now) stands for... Anyway, so we're expected to believe that his choice to blank us is based entirely on our lack of talent, nothing at all to do with that lady in the customised T-shirt, or him being consumed by his new American venture...

As predicted, Simon's prerogative is nailing the US X Factor. So much so that he hasn't signed his ITV contract yet, and the show's first trial kicks off in Cardiff in a month. Today's Sun Online claims:

"Simon Cowell's plans for an American version of The X Factor have brought the UK series to a halt - leaving wannabes in the dark about who they will perform for... Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue are expected to sign up soon (quelle surprise) but the status of Simon, Cheryl Cole and Dermot is unclear. A show source said: 'This is causing producers a headache as the contract process always takes some time to hammer out.' ITV chiefs are being forced to play second fiddle to US broadcaster Fox as it prepares to announce who will star in the American version. Simon, who will be one of the judges, is trying to get Cheryl on the panel." YAWNERS.

As for Dermot, well, it seems he's been overlooked for the US version in favour of an American pressenner.