The X Factor (British TV series)

For The X Factor around the world, see The X Factor (TV series)

For the upcoming series, see The X Factor (UK series 9)

The X Factor
Created by	Simon Cowell
Creative directors	Brian Burke (2011–) Elizabeth Honan (2011–) Brian Friedman (2007–10)
Presented by	Dermot O'Leary (2007–) Kate Thornton (2004–06)
Judges	Louis Walsh Gary Barlow (2011–) Tulisa Contostavlos (2011–) Simon Cowell (2004–10) Sharon Osbourne (2004–07) Brian Friedman (2007) Dannii Minogue (2007–10) Cheryl Cole (2008–10) Kelly Rowland (2011)
Voices of	Peter Dickson
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of series	8
No. of episodes	228 (as of 11 December 2011) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer	Simon Cowell
Producers	Talkback Thames FremantleMedia SYCOtv
Production locations	Various (auditions) The Fountain Studios (live shows) Wembley Arena (2011 final)
Running time	45–110 minutes
Original release
Network	ITV
Release	4 September 2004 (2004-09-04) – present
Related
The Xtra Factor The X Factor (U.S.)

The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The eight series of the show to date have been broadcast from August/September through to December. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's Talkback Thames and Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The "X Factor" of the title refers to the undefinable "something" that makes for star quality. The show is broadcast on the ITV network in the United Kingdom and TV3 in Ireland, with spin-off behind-the-scenes show The Xtra Factor screened on ITV2. The X Factor was devised as a replacement for the highly successful Pop Idol, which was put on indefinite hiatus after its second series, largely because Cowell, who was a judge on Pop Idol, wished to launch a show to which he owned the television rights. The perceived similarity between the two shows later became the subject of a legal dispute.

The original judging panel was Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh. Dannii Minogue joined the panel in series 4, and Cheryl Cole replaced Osbourne in series 5 after her departure. After series 7, Cowell and Cole both left to judge the American version of the show whilst Minogue left the show due to commitments on Australia's Got Talent. Kelly Rowland, Tulisa Contostavlos and Gary Barlow then joined Walsh on the judging panel for series 8, though Rowland will not return for series 9. In the initial televised audition phase of the show, contestants sang in an audition room in front of just the judges. From series 6 onwards, auditionees sing on a stage in front of the judges and a live audience. Successful auditionees go through to "bootcamp" and then to "judges' houses", where judges narrow down the acts in their category to three or four acts to mentor for the live shows, where the public vote for their favourite acts following weekly live performances by the contestants.

There have been eight winners to date: Steve Brookstein, Shayne Ward, Leona Lewis, Leon Jackson, Alexandra Burke, Joe McElderry, Matt Cardle and Little Mix. The winning contestant's single from 2004 till 2010 was released in time for the end of year chart battle for the UK's Christmas number one, a spot which was gained in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010. In 2011, the winner's single was released a week earlier. All of the winners' singles have gone on to achieve the number one chart position nevertheless, with Brookstein and McElderry going on to claim the New Year's number one spot a week later instead, and Little Mix a week earlier. As of January 2012, a total of 28 number-one singles have been released by artists who have appeared on the show. The all-new X Factor champion receives a recording contract with record label Syco Music with a stated value of £1 million. This includes a cash payment to the winner, but the majority is allocated to marketing and recording costs.

The show is the biggest television talent competition in Europe and has proved hugely popular with the public. Series 6 attracted 200,000 auditionees and peaked at 19.7 million UK viewers (a 63.2% audience share). 10 million votes were cast in the series 6 final as well. On 18 October 2010, ITV announced that Cowell had signed a three-year contract renewing The X Factor until 2013.

History

The X Factor was created by Sony Music Entertainment A&R judge Simon Cowell as a replacement for Pop Idol. Cowell, who was a judge on Pop Idol, wished to launch a show which he owned the rights to. Though Pop Idol's first series was massively successful, the second series suffered from low ratings. Many—including Pop Idol judge Pete Waterman— considered Michelle McManus an unworthy winner. In 2004, ITV announced a new show created by Cowell, with no involvement from Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller—The X Factor.

Format

The show is primarily concerned with identifying a potential pop star, though singing talent, appearance, personality, stage presence and dance routines are also an important element of many performances. For series 1–3 the competition was split into three categories: 16-24s (soloists aged 16–24), Over 25s (soloists aged 25 and over) and Groups (including duos). In series 4–5, the minimum age was lowered to 14, creating a 14–24 age group. With the addition of a fourth judge in series 4, this was split into separate male and female sections, making four categories in all: "Boys" (14–25 males), "Girls" (14–25 females), Over 25s and Groups. For series 6, the minimum age returned to 16, meaning that the "Boys" category became 16–25 males and the "Girls" category became 16–25 females. For series 7, the age group boundaries were changed, and the Over 25s became Over 28s, with the Boys and Girls categories becoming 16–28. It was changed back to Over 25s for series 8.

There are five stages to the competition:

• Stage 1: Producers' auditions (these auditions decide who will sing in front of the judges)
• Stage 2: Judges' auditions
• Stage 3: Bootcamp
• Stage 4: Judges' houses
• Stage 5: Live shows (finals)

Auditions

A round of first auditions is held in front of producers months before the show is aired, either by application and appointment, or at "open" auditions that anyone can attend. These auditions, held at various venues around the UK, attract very large crowds. The auditions themselves are not televised, but shots of crowds waving and "judges' cars" arriving are filmed and later spliced in with the televised auditions shot later in the year. The production team supply the crowds with "home-made" signs. After waiting at the venue for hours and filming more inserts of screaming and waving, candidates are given a brief audition by someone from the production team. Should they pass that audition (either for reasons of talent or for the potential of making entertaining television), they are given a "golden ticket" that allows them to sing to a more senior production member. Only candidates who successfully pass that second and third auditions are invited to perform to the judges. The televised version misrepresents the process by implying that the entire huge crowds all perform to the judges. Camera shots take up to 6 hours to record before the auditions are started, with the production team constantly misleading the auditionees.

A selection of the auditions in front of the judges – usually the best, the worst and the most bizarre (described by Louis Walsh as "the good, the bad and the ugly") – are broadcast over the first few weeks of the show. In the first five series, each act entered the audition room and delivered a stand-up unaccompanied performance of their chosen song to the judges. In series 6 (2009), the judges' auditions were held in front of a live audience and the acts sang over a backing track. If a majority of the judges (two in series 1–3, or three from series 4 onwards) say "yes" then the act goes through to the next stage, otherwise they are sent home.

Over 50,000 people auditioned for series 1, around 75,000 for series 2 and around 100,000 for series 3. The number of applicants for series 4 reached 150,000, 182,000 people auditioned for series 5, and a record 200,000 people applied for series 6. Series 7 applicants were given the opportunity to apply by uploading a video audition to the Internet. In series 9, for the first time, applicants can audition online via Facebook. The show's producers will also be sending a "mobile audition van" to 18 locations throughout the UK and Ireland so they can audition singers who cannot make the arena auditions.

Bootcamp and judges' houses

The contestants selected at auditions are further refined through a series of performances at "bootcamp", and then at the "judges' houses" (previously "judges' homes"), until a small number eventually progress to the live finals (nine in series 1 and twelve from series 2 to 6, and sixteen in series 7). Louis Walsh revealed in October 2007 that the houses the contestants visit may not actually belong to the judges, but are sometimes rented for the purpose. During these stages, the producers allocate each of the judges a category to mentor. In early series this allocation took place after completion of the auditions and prior to bootcamp, but from series 4, all four judges work together at the bootcamp stage. They collectively choose 24 acts (six from each category) for the next round, and only then find out which category they will mentor. In series 4 and 6, the judges found out which category they would be mentoring at the same time that the contestants found out their mentor, but in series 5 and 7 the contestants did not know who their mentor was until they revealed themselves at the house. The judges then disband for the "judges' houses" round, where they reduce their six acts to three for the live shows. In series 7, a total of 32 acts went through to judges' houses, giving each judge eight acts instead of six.

The X Factor house

The selected finalists (either 9, 12 or 16 acts) move into shared accommodation to take part in the show. The house accommodates both contestants and TV production staff and footage from the house is often used in spin-off show The Xtra Factor. In 2009 the house, in West Heath Avenue, Golders Green, received significant press coverage when it was mobbed by fans, leading to the police being called. This led to concerns by the neighbours of the 2010 house in Hyver Hill, Mill Hill that it would receive similar attention, with a local farmer worried his land would be damaged, but local businesses were said to be looking forward to increased trade. The 2011 residence, Connaught House in Hertford Heath had cameras installed for filming.

Live shows

Entrance to The Fountain Studios

The finals consist of a series of two live shows, the first featuring the contestants' performances and the second revealing the results of the public voting, culminating in one or more acts being eliminated. Celebrity guest performers also feature regularly. These live shows are filmed at The Fountain Studios in Wembley, London. In series 1–5, both live shows were broadcast on Saturday nights. In series 6, the results show moved to Sunday nights. In series 1, nine acts were put through to the live shows, increased to twelve in series 2. In series 7, following the addition of four wildcards, it increased to 16. The increase then remained permanent for series 8.

Performances

In the initial live shows, each act performs once in the first show in front of a studio audience and the judges, usually singing over a pre-recorded backing track. Dancers are also commonly featured. Acts occasionally accompany themselves on guitar or piano.

In the first two series, acts usually chose a cover of a pop standard or contemporary hit. In series 1, much was made of the idea that each performer/mentor combination was free to present the performance however they wanted, including performer playing live instruments, or the addition of choirs, backing bands, and dancers. From the third series, each live show had a different theme; each contestant's song chosen according to the theme. A celebrity guest connected to the theme is often invited onto the show, and clips are shown of the guest conversing with the contestants at rehearsal. After each act has performed, the judges comment on their performance. Heated disagreements, usually involving judges defending their contestants against criticism, are a regular feature of the show. Once all the acts have appeared, the phone lines open and the viewing public vote on which act they want to keep.

Once the number of contestants has been reduced to four (series 1 and 3), five (series 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8), or seven (series 7), the format changes. Each act performs twice in the first show, with the public vote opening after the first performance. This continues until only two (series 1 and 3), three (series 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8) or four (series 7) acts remain. These acts go on to appear in the grand final which decides the overall winner by public vote. In past series some of the more memorable failed auditionees from the early rounds have also returned for a special appearance in the final.

Results

Before the results are announced, there are live or pre-recorded performances from one or more invited celebrities, often with performers connected to the week's theme. From series 6 onwards, the results show begins with a group performance from the remaining contestants. However, the song is pre-recorded and the contestants mime, due to problems with the number of microphones. The two acts polling the fewest votes are revealed. Both these acts perform again in a "final showdown", and the judges vote on which of the two to send home. In the first four series the bottom two contestants reprised their earlier song, but from series 5 they were able to pick new songs. In series 3, a twist occurred where the act with the fewest votes was automatically eliminated, and the two with the next fewest votes performed in the "final showdown" as normal. Ties became possible with the introduction of a fourth judge in series 4. In the event of a tie the result goes to deadlock, and the act who came last in the public vote is sent home. The actual number of votes cast for each act is not revealed, nor even the order; according to a spokesman, "We would never reveal the voting figures during the competition as it could give contestants an unfair advantage and spoil the competition for viewers".

Once the number of contestants has been reduced to four (series 1, 3, 7 and 8) or five (series 2, 4, 5 and 6), the act which polled the fewest votes is automatically eliminated from the competition (the judges do not have a vote; their only role is to comment on the performances). In series 1, the eliminated acts also reprised one of their songs in the results show after being voted off.

Post The X Factor

Joe McElderry, winner of series 6, performing on The X Factor Live tour in 2010

The winner of The X Factor is awarded a £1 million recording contract with Syco Music, in association with Sony Music. In series 5, this deal consisted of a £150,000 cash advance with the balance covering the costs of recording and marketing. Other highly placed contestants may also be offered recording deals, but this is not guaranteed. In series 1–3, the premise of The X Factor was that the winner would be managed in the industry by their mentor on the show. With Cowell, Osbourne and Walsh as judges/mentors, any of the three would be qualified to do so. Following the appointment of singer Minogue as a judge in series 4, the same principle could not universally apply. In fact, when Minogue won series 4 with Leon Jackson, a new outside manager was appointed.

The X Factor Live Tour is a live show that tours the UK and Ireland in the months following the conclusion of the series. It features an array of finalists and other memorable contestants from the most recent The X Factor series and is hosted by Jeff Brazier.

Series summary

To date, eight series have been broadcast, as summarised below.

  Contestant in (or mentor of) "Boys" category or male contestant in "16-24s" category
  Contestant in (or mentor of) "Girls" category or female contestant in "16-24s" category
  Contestant in (or mentor of) "Over 25s" or "Over 28s" category
  Contestant in (or mentor of) "Groups" category

Series	Start	Finish	Winner	Runner-up	Third place	Winning mentor	Main host	UK sponsor	Main judges	Guest judges
One	4 September 2004	11 December 2004	Steve Brookstein	G4	Tabby Callaghan	Simon Cowell	Kate Thornton	Nokia	Simon Cowell Sharon Osbourne Louis Walsh	—
Two	20 August 2005	17 December 2005	Shayne Ward	Andy Abraham	Journey South	Louis Walsh
Three	19 August 2006	16 December 2006	Leona Lewis	Ray Quinn	Ben Mills	Simon Cowell				Paula Abdul (London auditions)
Four	18 August 2007	15 December 2007	Leon Jackson	Rhydian	Same Difference	Dannii Minogue	Dermot O'Leary	The Carphone Warehouse	Simon Cowell Sharon Osbourne Louis Walsh Dannii Minogue	Brian Friedman (London auditions; was originally planned to be permanent judge)
Five	16 August 2008	13 December 2008	Alexandra Burke	JLS	Eoghan Quigg	Cheryl Cole			Simon Cowell Louis Walsh Dannii Minogue Cheryl Cole	—
Six	22 August 2009	13 December 2009	Joe McElderry	Olly Murs	Stacey Solomon	Cheryl Cole		TalkTalk
Seven	21 August 2010	12 December 2010	Matt Cardle	Rebecca Ferguson	One Direction	Dannii Minogue				Geri Halliwell (Glasgow auditions) Natalie Imbruglia (Birmingham auditions) Katy Perry (Dublin auditions) Pixie Lott (Cardiff auditions) Nicole Scherzinger (Manchester auditions, bootcamp)
Eight	20 August 2011	11 December 2011	Little Mix	Marcus Collins	Amelia Lily	Tulisa Contostavlos			Louis Walsh Gary Barlow Tulisa Contostavlos Kelly Rowland	Alexandra Burke (week 4 live shows)
Nine									Louis Walsh Gary Barlow Tulisa Contostavlos	Geri Halliwell (Liverpool auditions) Leona Lewis (London auditions) Rita Ora (London auditions) Alica Keys (Manchester auditions) Nicole Scherzinger (Manchester auditions) Emeli Sande (Glasgow auditions) Rihanna (Newcastle auditions) Katy Perry (Cardiff auditions and Bootcamp)

Judges and presenters

Judges

Judges Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole during filming of the London auditions for series 7

From series 1 to 3, the X Factor judges were music executive and TV producer Simon Cowell, and music managers Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh. Paula Abdul was a guest judge at the London auditions in series 3. After series 3, Walsh was dropped from the show, being replaced by American choreographer Brian Friedman who was hired after impressing Cowell on his show Grease Is the Word. A fourth judge was also brought in: Australian singer, actress and Australia's Got Talent judge Dannii Minogue. Cowell hired Minogue after viewing tapes of her judging on Australia's Got Talent, and because of her 30 years experience as a singer and performer. However, Friedman was re-assigned the role of creative director because Cowell believed the judging panel was not working and Walsh then resumed his place on the panel, and the series 4 judging lineup was Cowell, Osbourne, Walsh and Minogue. Minogue became the first female judge to win after her series 4 victory with Leon Jackson.

Speculation surrounded judging lineup changes for series 5, centring on whether Osbourne would return. On 6 June 2008, six days before filming for series 5 was due to begin, ITV confirmed that Osbourne had left the show, and a number of other artists and producers were approached regarding her replacement, including Melanie Brown, Paula Abdul, Sinitta, and former Pop Idol judge Pete Waterman. On 10 June, Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole was confirmed as Osbourne's replacement. Osbourne stated that she left The X Factor because she did not enjoy working with Minogue. Despite rumours that Minogue would leave the show after series 5, all four judges from series 5 returned for series 6. Cole became the first judge to win two series in a row after her victories in series 5 with Alexandra Burke and series 6 with Joe McElderry.

Kelly Rowland joined the judging panel in 2011.

Due to Minogue's maternity leave during series 7, a series of guest judges filled in for her at the audition stages before she rejoined the panel in September. The guest judges were Geri Halliwell, Natalie Imbruglia, Katy Perry, Pixie Lott and Nicole Scherzinger. In July 2010, Cole was diagnosed with malaria towards the end of the auditions. Bootcamp went ahead with Scherzinger as a guest judge.

On 5 May 2011, it was confirmed that Cowell and Cole would not be returning to the judging panel for series 8. They announced that they were leaving in order to concentrate on the American version of the programme. On 14 May, it was announced that Minogue would not be ruturning either. Of her decision, Minogue said "During discussions for me to return [to The X Factor] it became clear that unfortunately, this year, The X Factor audition dates in the UK clash with the live shows of Australia's Got Talent during June and July. For this reason I am unable to return.". After Cole, Cowell and Minogue announced their leave, a number of celebrities were linked with judging roles, including Frankie Sandford and Alesha Dixon, though Dixon ruled herself out, due to her commitments with Strictly Come Dancing, though she later joined Cowell's other show Britain's Got Talent. On 30 May, it was confirmed that Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos and Kelly Rowland would join Walsh for series 8. On 29 and 30 October, Rowland was unable to travel back from Los Angeles as she had a throat infection, and was unable to judge the live show, so series 5 winner Alexandra Burke took her place.

On 17 April 2012, it was announced that Barlow would return for series 9. On 3 May, Walsh also confirmed his return for the ninth year. Contostavlos has claimed that she will return, but this is not yet officially confirmed. Rowland will not return due to other commitments. The judges will need to be confirmed by 23 May 2012, the date of the first audition. Katy Perry, Nicole Scherzinger, Melanie Brown and Anastacia are said to be in the running to replace her, while former judges Osbourne and Minogue have also been linked with returning to the panel. Guest judges are expected to fill in during the early stages of the competition until a permanent judge is found. Series 7 guest judge Geri Halliwell was later confirmed for the Liverpool auditions. Others rumoured to appear at subsequent audtions include Robbie Williams, Gwen Stefani, Mel B and Alicia Keys.

Presenters and other personnel

Dermot O'Leary has presented the show since series 4

The first three series of the show were hosted by Kate Thornton. Thornton was replaced from series 4 by Dermot O'Leary who signed a contract worth £1 million to present two series of the programme on ITV. O'Leary was not forced to leave the Big Brother franchise and continued to present Big Brother sister shows during summer 2007. However, O'Leary announced that Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack was to be his last Big Brother hosting role so he could focus on presenting The X Factor.

Brian Friedman continued his role as performance coach and choreographer (billed as "Creative Director") from series 4 until series 7, but left to join with the American version. Brian Burke and Elizabeth Honan replaced him from series 8. Yvie Burnett has been The X Factor's vocal coach since series 2, but was replaced in series 7 by Ali Tennant and Savan Kotecha. However, Tennant's contract was ended before the live shows and Burnett was reinstated. In series 7, Richard "Biff" Stannard started work as show song producer for Minogue's contestants, and Grace Woodward joined the series as Fashion Director. Voice-overs are provided by Peter Dickson and Enn Reitel.

For information about The Xtra Factor presenters, see The Xtra Factor below.

Judges' categories and their finalists

Leona Lewis won the third series

See also: List of The X Factor (UK) finalists

In each series, each judge is allocated a category to mentor and chooses a small number of acts (three or four, depending on the series) to progress to the live finals. This table shows, for each series, which category each judge was allocated and which acts he or she put through to the live finals.

Key:

  – Winning judge/category. Winners are in bold, eliminated contestants in small font.

Series	Simon Cowell	Sharon Osbourne	Louis Walsh	N/A
One	Over 25s Steve Brookstein Rowetta Satchell Verity Keays	16-24s Tabby Callaghan Cassie Compton Roberta Howett	Groups G4 Voices with Soul 2 to Go
Two	Groups Journey South The Conway Sisters 4Tune Addictiv Ladies	Over 25s Andy Abraham Brenda Edwards Chico Slimani Maria Lawson	16-24s Shayne Ward Nicholas Dorsett Chenai Zinyuku Phillip Magee
Three	16-24s Leona Lewis Ray Quinn Nikitta Angus Ashley McKenzie	Over 25s Ben Mills Robert Allen Kerry McGregor Dionne Mitchell	Groups The MacDonald Brothers Eton Road 4Sure The Unconventionals
Series	Simon Cowell	Sharon Osbourne	Louis Walsh	Dannii Minogue
Four	Groups Same Difference Hope Futureproof	Girls Alisha Bennett Emily Nakanda Kimberley Southwick	Over 25s Niki Evans Beverley Trotman Daniel DeBourg	Boys Leon Jackson Rhydian Roberts Andy Williams
Series	Simon Cowell	Cheryl Cole	Louis Walsh	Danni Minogue
Five	Boys Eoghan Quigg Austin Drage Scott Bruton	Girls Alexandra Burke Diana Vickers Laura White	Groups JLS Girlband Bad Lashes	Over 25s Ruth Lorenzo Rachel Hylton Daniel Evans
Six	Over 25s Olly Murs Danyl Johnson Jamie Archer	Boys Joe McElderry Lloyd Daniels Rikki Loney	Groups John & Edward Miss Frank Kandy Rain	Girls Stacey Solomon Lucie Jones Rachel Adedeji
Seven	Groups One Direction Belle Amie Diva Fever F.Y.D.	Girls Rebecca Ferguson Cher Lloyd Katie Waissel Treyc Cohen	Over 28s Mary Byrne Wagner John Adeleye Storm Lee	Boys Matt Cardle Paije Richardson Aiden Grimshaw Nicolo Festa
Series	Gary Barlow	Kelly Rowland	Louis Walsh	Tulisa Contostavlos
Eight	Boys Marcus Collins Craig Colton Frankie Cocozza James Michael	Girls Amelia Lily Misha B Janet Devlin Sophie Habibis	Over 25s Kitty Brucknell Johnny Robinson Sami Brookes Jonjo Kerr	Groups Little Mix The Risk Nu Vibe 2 Shoes

Reception

Ratings and awards

Viewing figures of around 10 million were claimed for series 2 and 4, and 11 to 12 million for series 5. Over three million public votes were cast in the series 2 semi-final, and six million in the first part of the final. The series 3 final attracted eight million votes and a peak of 12.6 million viewers. The series 4 final drew 12.7 million viewers – a 55% share of the terrestrial TV audience. In series 5, 12.8 million tuned in to see the 29 November 2008 show featuring guest Britney Spears, a new X Factor record. The series 5 final peaked with 14.6 million viewers,. The series 6 final was watched by 19.1 million viewers (a 63.2% audience share) with 10 million votes cast and the series 7 final topped this attracting 19.4 million viewers with over 15 million votes cast, but the series 8 final was a large drop from this, with 13.456 million viewers.

At the 2005 British Comedy Awards, The X Factor beat Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway to take the award for Best Comedy Entertainment Programme, prompting Simon Cowell to remark "We're not a comedy programme, we're a serious factual drama". In both 2005 and 2006, The X Factor won the award for "Most Popular Entertainment Programme" at the National Television Awards. At the same awards in 2007, the show also won the award for "Most Popular Talent Show". In 2008 it lost out to Strictly Come Dancing at the TV Quick Awards, TRIC Awards and National Television Awards, despite beating it in the ratings. In 2009, The X Factor won "Best Talent Show" at the National Television Awards.

The BBC's rival talent show Strictly Come Dancing initially beat The X Factor in viewing figures in 2004, although in recent years The X Factor has reversed this trend, and when the shows went head-to-head for the first time The X Factor attracted a larger audience share. It rates as ITV's most popular programme whilst it is broadcast, and is the first format (along with Britain's Got Talent) in years to knock Coronation Street off the top.

At the 2011 National Television Awards, The X Factor won the Talent Show award, beating Strictly Come Dancing, Britain's Got Talent and Dancing on Ice. At the 2012 National Television Awards, The X Factor again beat Strictly Come Dancing, Britain's Got Talent and Dancing on Ice to the award. The show also won Best UK TV Show at the 2012 Kids' Choice Awards.

Series averages

The show's viewing figures have generally trended up each series. However, this was not the case for series 2 and 3, when the former attracted more viewers than the latter.

Series	Series premiere	Series finale	Episodes (inc. results shows)	Average UK viewers in millions (inc. results shows)
Series 1	4 September 2004	11 December 2004	23	7.4
Series 2	20 August 2005	17 December 2005	30	8.73
Series 3	19 August 2006	16 December 2006	26	8.27
Series 4	18 August 2007	15 December 2007	27	8.57
Series 5	16 August 2008	13 December 2008	30	10.51
Series 6	22 August 2009	13 December 2009	31	13.0
Series 7	21 August 2010	12 December 2010	30	14.13
Series 8	20 August 2011	11 December 2011	31	12.36

• All information in this table comes from the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.

Controversy and criticism

Main article: Controversy and criticism of The X Factor (UK)

The X Factor has, from the outset, attracted criticism. Recurring allegations are: that the excessive commercialism of the show detracts from of its supposed purpose of unearthing musical talent and even actively damages and distorts the UK music industry; that auditionees at mass auditions are shabbily treated; that controversy is deliberately courted and orchestrated, and supposedly spontaneous scenes are staged and scripted; that problems with phone lines leave members of the public unable to vote for their favourite acts; and that contestants are manipulated and unfairly edited.

This criticism became very public in 2009 when a Facebook campaign targeted against The X Factor and its effect on British music took "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine to the Christmas number one spot at the expense of the X Factor winner's single by Joe McElderry.

In 2009, The X Factor received heavy criticism when contestent Toby Barnes was booted off of the show after reaching judges' houses. His mentor, Simon Cowell, was forced to let him go after it was revealed that he already had a record deal and was signed to Universal Music and Polydor Records.

Ireland

The first series was available to viewers only through the Northern Ireland-based ITV station UTV which is widely available in the Republic, but subsequent series have also been shown on the Irish terrestrial TV station TV3.

Series 1–4 of the UK version of The X Factor effectively included Irish viewers on an equal footing, and Irish viewers were able to vote in these series via SMS or telephone. However, for series 5 in 2008, voting from Republic of Ireland was discontinued, with the decision being blamed on new regulations introduced regarding phone competitions in the UK. In 2010 TV3 announced that Irish viewers would only be able to vote using voting numbers posted online once the live shows start. These numbers change weekly.

The show held auditions in Dublin and Belfast for the first 3 series, with Belfast auditions continuing for series 4 before being dropped, though Irish singers could still audition in other cities. Dublin first round auditions returned in 2010 with the auditions held on 28 June.

Irish contestants have reached the live shows in series 1 (Tabby Callaghan and Roberta Howett), series 2 (The Conway Sisters), series 6 (John & Edward) and in series 7 (Mary Byrne, Rebecca Creighton in group Belle Amie and Niall Horan in group One Direction). Northern Irish finalists have included Phillip Magee (series 2), Eoghan Quigg (series 5) and Janet Devlin (series 8).

In 2011, The X Factor did not hold auditions in Ireland, after being replaced with a new audition city, Liverpool. A source from The X Factor said: "There are only so many places we can go for auditions. We went to Dublin last year but we haven't been to Liverpool so we thought we should do it this year. Obviously this is a blow to the Irish contestants but it's only a short hop across the Irish Sea to Liverpool."

The Xtra Factor

The X Factor
Created by	Simon Cowell
Presented by	Caroline Flack(2011–) Olly Murs (2011–) Ben Shephard (2004–06) Fearne Cotton(2007) Holly Willoughby (2008–09) Konnie Huq (2010)
Voices of	Peter Dickson (2004–09, 2011–) Brian Blessed (2010)
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of series	8
No. of episodes	206
Production
Producers	talkbackTHAMES FremantleMedia SYCOtv
Production location	Fountain Studios
Running time	60–80 minutes
Original release
Network	ITV2 (UK) TV3(Ireland)
Release	4 September 2004 (2004-09-04) – present
Related
The X Factor

The Xtra Factor is a companion show that is broadcast on digital channel ITV2 and on TV3 Ireland on Saturday and Sunday nights after the main ITV show. It features behind-the-scenes footage of The X Factor and shows the emotional responses of the contestants after the judges comment on their performances. The commissioning of The Xtra Factor was prompted by the success of Big Brother's Little Brother, a Big Brother companion show screened on E4.

The Xtra Factor features extra auditions, bootcamp performances and judges' houses performances and behind-the-scenes footage. In past series, there have been competitions and games featuring the judges and presenters. During the live shows the programme feature behind-the-scenes footage and answers live video and phone calls for the judges and contestants. Facebook statuses and Tweets are read out as well. It also shows the emotional responses of the contestants after the judges comment on their performances. A celebrity panel is usually featured, who give their opinions on the contestants.

Until series 3, The Xtra Factor was hosted by Ben Shephard. The voiceover on series 1 to 6 was Peter Dickson. Shephard did not return for series 4 after being upset at not getting the main ITV presenting job, and Fearne Cotton took over as host, for series 4 only, before leaving the show to concentrate on her career in America. Allegations of a falling-out with Simon Cowell were also reported. For series 5, Cotton was replaced by presenter and close friend Holly Willoughby. Willoughby first presented The Xtra Factor on 9 August 2008, a week before series 5 was broadcast. Konnie Huq replaced Willoughby as the new Xtra Factor presenter for series 7. However, Huq decided to depart from the series in March 2011 because of work commitments. On 31 May 2011, Caroline Flack and Olly Murs were confirmed as the new co-hosts for series 8 by The X Factor's official Twitter page.

Cameras follow the finalists during their day, and in early series some of the footage was aired in a spin-off show called The Xtra Factor: The Aftermath, which was broadcast in the middle of the week on ITV2. The Xtra Factor: Xcess All Areas was a live show in which there were interviews, games and trips around the contestants' homes. The show also let viewers know which songs the contestants would be singing in the next live show. Both shows were axed after series 3 due to ITV2 cutting back on spin-off programing.

Each year after the series has come to an end, The Xtra Factor has a week of special programmes titled Best and Worst, featuring the best and worst auditions from the previous series, ranging from two to five episodes each year.

A 60-minute special titled The Winner's Story is broadcast each year over the festive period, featuring the winner of that year's X Factor. Cameras follow the winner from the announcement of the result through the lead-up to the Christmas number one. As from 2010, one week before each series due to start, there features a special called X Factor Rewind looking back at the previous year's contestants and what happened to them during The X Factor and what has happened to them since the show ended.

The X Factor: Battle of the Stars

Main article: The X Factor: Battle of the Stars

The X Factor: Battle of the Stars was a celebrity special edition of The X Factor, which screened on ITV, starting on 29 May 2006 and lasting for eight consecutive nights. Pop Idol was intended to be broadcast in its place as Celebrity Pop Idol but was stopped shortly before transmission, when ITV selected The X Factor instead.

Nine celebrity acts participated, singing live in front of the nation and facing the judges of the previous The X Factor series, Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh. Voting revenues were donated to the celebrities' chosen charities.

The contestants were Michelle Marsh, Nikki Sanderson, Matt Stevens, Lucy Benjamin, Gillian McKeith, Chris Moyles, Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee, James Hewitt and Rebecca Loos, and "The Chefs", a quartet of celebrity chefs comprising Jean-Christophe Novelli, Aldo Zilli, Paul Rankin and Ross Burden.

The winner of the show was Lucy Benjamin, mentored by Walsh.

It was reported on 26 August 2006 that Simon Cowell had decided not to do a second edition, describing it as "pointless" and adding "we are never going to do it again".

Music releases by The X Factor contestants

Main article: The X Factor (UK) discography

As of December 2011, the show has spawned eight number-one winners' singles (five of which have been the Christmas number one), four number-one charity singles, and a total of 15 number-one singles by contestants who have appeared on the show (including winners and runners-up).

By series 6 (2009) it had seemingly become such a certainty that the X Factor winner would gain the Christmas number one slot every year that bookmakers William Hill were considering withdrawing from the 30-year tradition of betting on the outcome. However, hostility to the show's stranglehold on the Christmas number one slot from some quarters had prompted attempts to propel an alternative song to the 2008 Christmas number one spot, and in 2009 a similar internet-led campaign was successful, taking Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" to Christmas number one at the expense of The X Factor winner Joe McElderry. McElderry's single climbed to the top of the chart a week later.

In series 1–2, the winner's debut album would be released a few months after their victory in the show. The album would contain some new material but would consist largely of cover versions. This format changed with series 3 winner Leona Lewis. Cowell, Lewis's X Factor mentor and newly-appointed manager, said: "We could have gone into the studio for a month, made the record quick, and thrown it out. It would have been the wrong thing to do." The success of Lewis's debut album Spirit ensured that the debut albums of future series winners (such as series 4 winner Leon Jackson) would consist more of new material than of cover versions.

Charity singles

During the fifth series of the show, the finalists released Hero in aid of Help for Heroes which reached number one in the UK singles charts. Following the success of the song, Cowell has announced that a charity single will be released annually. He is quoted as saying: "Following last year's record we made with the X Factor finalists in aid of Help For Heroes, we decided we wanted to do something annually on the show to help good causes."

The 2009 single was a cover of the Michael Jackson song You Are Not Alone which was released in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital and reached number one. The 2010 single was a cover of David Bowie's Heroes, with proceeds once again going to the Help for Heroes charity. In 2011, the finalists released "Wishing on a Star" by Rose Royce and the proceeds were donated to Together for Short Lives. This song features previous contestants JLS and One Direction.

Year	Song	Peak chart positions		Certifications (sales thresholds)	Charity
		UK	IRL
2008	"Hero"	1	1	UK: 2× Platinum	Help for Heroes
2009	"You Are Not Alone"	1	1	UK: Gold	Great Ormond Street Hospital
2010	"Heroes"	1	1		Help for Heroes
2011	"Wishing on a Star" (featuring JLS and One Direction)	1	1		Together for Short Lives

Merchandise

DVDs

• Series 1: The X Factor Revealed: The Greatest Auditions Ever (2005)
• Series 2: The X Factor: The Greatest Auditions Ever (2006)
• Series 3: The X Factor Revealed (2007)

Games

• Series 4: The X Factor – interactive DVD game (2007)
• Series 4: The X Factor Sing – karaoke console game (2007)
• Series 5: The X Factor: The Board Game (2008)
• Series 5: Top Trumps X Factor – card game (2008)
• Series 7: The X Factor – karaoke console game (2010)

Books

• Series 1–3: The X Factor: Access All Areas (2007)
• Series 6: The X Factor Annual (2009)
• Series 7: The X Factor Annual (2010)
• Series 7: The Xtra Factor Annual (2010)
• Series 8: The X Factor Annual (2011)

Magazines

• X Magazine – weekly publication starting in 2010.

Other

The X Factor brand has also appeared on clothing, jewellery, perfume, make-up, toiletries, bedding, gifts, confectionery, soft drinks and pizzas. The Sun newspaper reported that the parents of Catherine Middleton were using The X Factor logo without permission to publicise party accessories sold through their mail-order business.

External links

• The X Factor at itv.com
• The X Factor at stv.tv
• Template:U.tv
• The X Factor at IMDb

• The X Factor on Facebook
• The X Factor on Twitter
• The X Factor's channel on YouTube