Simon Cowell says The X Factor 'will eventually get 20 million viewers'

Simon Cowell tells Access Hollywood that he was misunderstood when he said he wanted 20 million viewers for the first episode of The X Factor. He regrets saying that now -- but he did say that the show will eventually get 20 million viewers.

Oh really? I predict that the highest it will go will be 18 million... maybe next season. I don't think the finale will even break 15 million in December. What do you guys think?

From Access Hollywood:

Simon Cowell tells Access Hollywood he was misunderstood when he told a trade magazine he’d consider it a “disappointment” if “The X Factor” didn’t pull in 20 million viewers on its first outing on FOX.

“That was a slight misunderstanding. I wasn’t saying I want 20 million for the first episode. I said we wanna hit 20 million,” Simon told Access, attempting to cast a new light on his previous comments to The Hollywood Reporter.

“Of course that went out there and I thought, ‘I have really opened my big mouth here because anything now under 20 is a disaster,’” he added. “As much as people want you to succeed, there’s a ton of people that want you to fail and I took a bit in the neck that first day.”

Simon did, however, tell Access he predicts “The X Factor” will draw in 20 million viewers at some point.