Reports are circulating that Simon Cowell is set to the leave the X Factor. It comes after speculation that the music mogul is in talks with retail Billionaire Sir Phillip Green to set up a new business venture.

Cowell’s publicist Max Clifford commented on the situation and explained that the pair have been “good friends for a long time.” He added fuel to the fire by saying “there’s a good chance they’ll be working together.”

Auditions for this year’s X Factor are already taking place up and down the country with all judges, including Cowell, taking part in the proceedings. The judging panel remains the same as last year with Danni Minogue and Cheryl Cole in the girls corner and Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell completing the picture. There has been a major change in the audition procedure this year. For the very first time, contestants are required to audition in front of a live audience, following in the format of Britain’s Got Talent.

The news of Simon Cowell’s possible departure from the ITV smash hit is not wholly surprising. As far back as last year 49-year-old Cowell was quoted as saying “It looks like I’m only going to be doing it until 2010. I’ve really felt it this year. When you do three shows a year it’s tiring and something’s got to give.”

The Britain’s Got Talent live tour, another of Cowell’s projects, is currently packing out venues across the U.K. Surprise singing sensation Susan Boyle has been an occasional fixture in the line-up having recently spent a short stay at The Priory after suffering from exhaustion. If you’re hoping to catch the show when it comes to your town, why not arrive in style in the back of one of our chauffeur driven limos? We’re offering low cost deals on limousine transport to any Britain’s Got Talent show in the country.

Simon Cowell certainly has the Midas touch when it comes to making money with a raft of lucrative projects already under his belt; this potential partnership with Green may see him break new ground in the world of business. Cowell’s never been one to shrink into the background so whether he leaves or stays at X Factor, we certainly won’t be seeing the back of him.