Simon Cowell will not be retiring next year at the age of 50, despite persistent rumours suggesting he will.

Max Clifford, publicist to the music moghul, has insisted that Cowell "isn’t going anywhere".

"He’s not quitting and he won’t retire next year," Clifford told The Daily Star.

"He’s told me he’ll go on and on and on. And so he should. The thing about Simon is, people want him on telly. Shows like The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and American Idol wouldn’t work if he wasn’t there.

"He is the centre of everything. He is the reason they’re such a hit."