Simon Cowell explains thinking behind brand new Prize Fight sing-off as he returns to The X Factor

Despite the fact that he didn't explain in his own words being absent from the first live show, Simon did give us an insight into where the Prize Fight came about. This new twist in the format sees the singer or group who wins the most votes from the pubic every week winning a "money can't buy" prize.

In week one it was flying to New York to meet Pink - won by Grace Davies - and in week two it's the chance to record a single with a producer and writer who's worked with the likes of Katy Perry and Ariana Grande.

"We were kind of thinking 'How can you incentivised someone to do better on the weekends, give them something to win?'" Simon told host Dermot O'Leary. "And we've come up with the idea: 'what is a money can't buy prize?'

"And this particular producer / writer, we've worked with this guy for years," he continues about the prize this week. "He's genuinely in the top three best songwriters / producers in the world. It's about the best chance you're ever going to have for a guaranteed hit record.

"He mentored One Direction, he made a lot of the One Direction records," added Simon. "Get in the studio with this guy for a week, there is a really, really good chance you're going to come out with a hit record."

The X Factor continues Saturdays and Sundays on ITV.