Simon Cowell is to appear as a judge on The X-Factor television show in Israel.

The creator of the music talent contest will feature in the fourth series of the show in Israel, which is due to begin filming next week.

It will be the first time that Mr Cowell has appeared as a judge on the show outside the UK and America.

“Over the years, The X-Factor format discovered amazing talents from all over the world, I can’t wait to see what Israel has to offer,” said  Mr Cowell.

X Factor has been broadcast in the UK for 16 years, but the most recent series failed to achieve the success of earlier shows.

The judge’s slot on Israeli X Factor, which is produced by Reshet 13, is viewed as a comeback opportunity for the music mogul following an accident on an electric bike earlier this year.

It was announced earlier this year that the UK version of the show would be "rested" for the first time in 16 years.

In the USA, The X Factor only ran from 2011 to 2013.

In a statement, Reshet 13 said: “This is the first time Simon Cowell is coming to judge in a country outside of the US and Great Britain. This is a huge achievement for Israeli TV.”

They added that Mr Cowell “is one of the biggest and most influential music figures in the world …  and his participation as a judge in the Israeli format provides an opportunity for international exposure for Israeli singers.”