Dermot, 42, stepped down ahead of the last series and was replaced by Olly Murs and Caroline Flack, and how his comments have gotten him in trouble with the big man.
While presenting the 21st annual National Television Awards, Dermot suggested he’d been sacked from The X Factor, telling the audience: ‘I’ve still got this job… for now.”
He later insisted Strictly Come Dancing, Simon’s biggest television rival, is his new favourite show.
But Simon, 56, has hit back. Speaking at the latest round of Britain’s Got Talent auditions, he said: “[Dermot’s] got the NTA job – yeah, for one a year. That’s a big move.
“You say these things, trying to be funny on the night, and then you go off and think, ‘I wish I didn’t say that’. That might have been one of those occasions.”
Making it absolutely clear there’s no love lost between them, dad-of-one Simon added: “He’d be fantastic on Strictly. I couldn’t care less if he goes on it.”
Dermot recently revealed he and Simon don’t speak, and claimed that they have never been more than boss and employee.
He told RadioTimes: “But me and Simon barely talked when I was doing the show. We have a very professional relationship. We still do. We text from time to time. But I still care about the show and I want it to do well.”