Sharon Osbourne quits 'X Factor'

Sharon Osbourne is stepping down as a judge on The X Factor after four series on the ITV talent show.

She thanked her fellow judge Simon Cowell and "the wonderful British public for their enormous support during what has been an exciting ride."

The wife of the rock singer Ozzy Osbourne was reported to have clashed with her fellow judges on the show. During the most recent series, she walked out of a programme when two of her three of her acts were not selected. The panel of judges also included the Irish band manager Louis Walsh and, in the last series, the pop singer Dannii Minogue.

In 2005, she threw two glasses of water over Walsh after he criticised one of her acts and made derogatory comments about her husband, once a singer with the Black Sabbath rock group.

"Sharon has been a tremendous judge and mentor, but we respect her wish to leave and wish her the very best," an ITV spokesman said. "We thank her for all her humour, compassion and energy."