The X Factor (British TV series)
Simon Cowell devised the format for The X Factor in 2004 while working as a Sony Music executive. He had previously served as a judge on Pop Idol, which ran from 2001 to 2003. Cowell disliked the lack of control he and other judges held over contestant progress during that earlier show. Fellow judge Pete Waterman agreed with him regarding the winner of the second series, Michelle McManus. Cowell planned a new competition where he would own the television rights to maintain decision-making power. ITV secured the broadcast rights after Cowell approached them with his concept. A legal challenge arose from Simon Fuller, the creator of Pop Idol, over perceived similarities between the two shows. The programme premiered on the 4th of September 2004 and was produced by Thames, later known as Talkback Thames until 2011. Cowell's production company Syco Entertainment co-produced the show for ITV.
Each year began with three stages of auditions held months before the series premiere across venues in the United Kingdom. Participants performed songs by other artists to prove their musical talent. The first round involved open auditions anyone could attend or applications submitted via post or online. Those passing this stage performed before senior production members without filming. The third stage featured performances before the judges themselves. For most series, these took place in closed rooms without backing tracks. Other years used live audiences similar to Britain's Got Talent. Bootcamp followed where contestants were organized into categories based on age and group status. Men and women solo contestants under 24 formed one category while those aged 25 and older formed another. Groups consisting of two or more people made up the final category. Judges mentored specific groups during bootcamp before narrowing participants down to around six per category. The judges' houses stage occurred in private residences rented out for each judge according to Louis Walsh. In the tenth series, a new Six-Chair Challenge format required participants to secure a majority vote to sit in empty chairs. Contestants entering live rounds competed against each other over elimination heats filmed in fixed studio venues. Voting was conducted via phone numbers assigned to each participant.
The first three series featured Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, and Louis Walsh as judges with Kate Thornton hosting from 2004 to 2006. Dermot O'Leary received a two-year contract worth £1 million to replace Thornton in March 2007. Brian Friedman briefly replaced Walsh in June 2007 but dropped out during auditions for the fourth series. Dannii Minogue joined the panel that same year before leaving after the fifth series. Cheryl took over Osbourne's seat starting in 2008. Gary Barlow, Tulisa, and Kelly Rowland replaced Cowell and Cheryl for the eighth series in May 2011. Rowland missed live episodes due to medical reasons leading to Alexandra Burke standing in for her. Nicole Scherzinger became Rowland's replacement after the series concluded. Tulisa left in May 2013 while Barlow departed following the tenth series. Cowell returned as judge for the eleventh series in February 2014 bringing back Cheryl and replacing Scherzinger with Mel B. Olly Murs and Caroline Flack co-hosted the twelfth series after O'Leary quit in March 2015. Murs and Flack both left by early 2016 allowing O'Leary to return. Robbie Williams, Ayda Field, and Louis Tomlinson joined the judging panel for the fifteenth and final series in 2018.
Viewing figures initially fell behind BBC's Strictly Come Dancing when the programme began in 2004. The second series attracted an average of over 8 million viewers during its broadcast. Consecutive series increased these figures until the fourth series live final surpassed 12.7 million viewers achieving a 55% share of terrestrial TV audience. The sixth series achieved a peak audience of 19.1 million viewers and over 63% of the audience share. Ratings reached their peak by 2010 with the seventh series averaging over 14 million viewers. Its live final achieved a peak audience of 19.4 million viewers. In 2011 the eighth series averaged 12.4 million viewers effectively overtaken in ratings battles by Strictly Come Dancing. From 2012 onwards ratings went into sharp decline. The tenth series achieved an average viewing audience of 8.5 million viewers much less than Strictly Come Dancing. By 2017 ratings were worse with averages below seven million viewers placing its future in doubt after the fifteenth series. ITV announced on the 28th of July 2021 that there were no plans to air another series.
From the outset The X Factor attracted heavy criticism regarding excessive commercialism detracting from unearthing musical talent. Allegations included shabby treatment of auditionees at mass auditions and deliberately courted controversy orchestrated scenes. Problems with phone lines left members of public unable to vote for favourite acts while contestants faced manipulation and unfair editing. A Facebook campaign targeted against the show took Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name to Christmas number one in 2009 at the expense of Joe McElderry's single. Gary Barlow reportedly had issues with joke acts when mentoring the Over 28s category in the ninth series because they often filled that group. Olly Mann of The Daily Telegraph argued novelty contestants used to be a vital part of the format before their non-involvement drew criticism in the tenth series. Cowell remarked at the 2005 British Comedy Awards that they were not a comedy programme but a serious factual drama despite winning Best Comedy Entertainment Programme. The show won Most Popular Entertainment Programme at National Television Awards in both 2005 and 2006.
The show spawned 35 number-one singles including ten winners' singles six of which became Christmas number ones. Four charity singles reached number one by finalists of series five through eight. Twenty-one other number-ones came from contestants who appeared on the show. By series six in 2009 bookmakers William Hill considered withdrawing from betting on the outcome due to its certainty. Hostility prompted attempts to propel alternative songs to the 2008 Christmas number one spot while an internet-led campaign succeeded in 2009 taking Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name to top position. Leona Lewis changed the format for future winner albums to include more new material rather than cover versions. Sam Bailey released her debut album of covers The Power of Love in March 2014 as the earliest ever debut release by an X Factor winner. Charity singles included Mariah Carey's Hero in aid of Help for Heroes reaching number one in 2008. Michael Jackson's You Are Not Alone was released in 2009 for Great Ormond Street Hospital. David Bowie's Heroes followed in 2010 for Help for Heroes again. Rose Royce's Wishing on a Star featured JLS and One Direction in 2011 for Together for Short Lives. The Xtra Factor ran from 2004 to 2016 before being replaced by online spin-off Xtra Bites starting in 2017.
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Common questions
Who created The X Factor British TV series and when did it premiere?
Simon Cowell devised the format for The X Factor in 2004 while working as a Sony Music executive. The programme premiered on the 4th of September 2004 and was produced by Thames, later known as Talkback Thames until 2011.
What were the three stages of auditions held before each series of The X Factor British TV series began?
The first round involved open auditions anyone could attend or applications submitted via post or online. Those passing this stage performed before senior production members without filming. The third stage featured performances before the judges themselves.
Which judges served on The X Factor British TV series during its first three series from 2004 to 2006?
The first three series featured Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, and Louis Walsh as judges with Kate Thornton hosting from 2004 to 2006. Dermot O'Leary received a two-year contract worth £1 million to replace Thornton in March 2007.
When did ITV announce there would be no further series of The X Factor British TV series after 2018?
ITV announced on the 28th of July 2021 that there were no plans to air another series. Ratings reached their peak by 2010 with the seventh series averaging over 14 million viewers but declined sharply from 2012 onwards.
How many number-one singles did The X Factor British TV series spawn including winners' singles and charity releases?
The show spawned 35 number-one singles including ten winners' singles six of which became Christmas number ones. Four charity singles reached number one by finalists of series five through eight and twenty-one other number-ones came from contestants who appeared on the show.