The X Factor (Australian TV series)

The original judging panel line-up in 2005 consisted of Mark Holden, Kate Ceberano, and John Reid. When the show was revived in 2010, the judging panel was replaced by Natalie Imbruglia, Ronan Keating, Kyle Sandilands and Guy Sebastian. Imbruglia and Sandilands did not return for season three and were replaced by Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Mel B. Redfoo and Dannii Minogue joined the panel in season five as replacements for Sebastian and Mel B. Sebastian returned to the panel in season seven along with new judges James Blunt and Chris Isaak, as replacements for Keating, Bassingthwaighte and Redfoo. The judging panel will see changes once again for season eight as Minogue has announced her departure. On 12 June 2016 it was announced that Iggy Azalea would be a judge in season eight. It was then later announced that Adam Lambert would be joining the judging panel as well as Guy Sebastian and Mel B returning as the underdog judge.^[8]


During the televised audition phases of The X Factor, originally the contestants sang in an "audition room" in front of only the judges, however, from season two onwards all auditionees sing on stage in an arena, in front of the judges and a live audience. The successful acts then progress to the next stage of the competition, "bootcamp" and later "home visits", where the judges narrow their category down to three acts who continued to the live shows, where the public vote for their favourite act, following weekly performances by the contestants.


There have been eight winners: Random, Altiyan Childs, Reece Mastin, Samantha Jade, Dami Im, Marlisa Punzalan, Cyrus Villanueva and Isaiah Firebrace. Winners received a recording contract with record label Sony Music Australia. In season three, the winner also received a management contract, and in season four, a Nissan Dualis car. Each winning contestant's single has charted within the top-ten of the ARIA Singles Chart, only Mastin's, Jade's and Im's singles have reached number one. There have also been a number of hit singles released by other contestants who have appeared on The X Factor. The show has received numerous awards and nominations, including five Logie Award nominations, of which it has won one for Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Program.

History[edit]

The X Factor was created by Simon Cowell in the United Kingdom and is based on the original UK series. Cowell then began to grow and expand The X Factor competition franchise and in 2005, the Australian version of the show was launched on Network Ten, the same channel as the highly successful Australian Idol.^[9] However, due to poor ratings Network Ten dropped The X Factor after one season.


In 2010, once the seventh and final season of Australian Idol was completed, it was announced that Seven Network went into a "bidding war" with Nine Network to obtain the rights of The X Factor, which they later won and a second season went into production.^[9] Networks Seven and Nine both began the bidding war after expressing interest by attending a conference organised by Cowell.^[3] Andrew Backwell, Nine Network's director of production and development, and Tim Worner of Network Seven's head of programming, both attended the conference.^[3] Cowell wanted the Australian version to match his "own specifications", and said that it would cost at least $20 million for 21 hours of television.^[3] The X Factor was originally set to return in February 2011, but began in August 2010.^[3]


In February 2016, reports claimed that Seven was mulling over whether or not to delay the series' planned eighth season until 2017.^[10] It was later confirmed that The X Factor will return in 2016.^[11] The season premiered on 3 October 2016.^[12] Towards the end of the eighth season, there was speculation that The X Factor would not return in 2017 due to poor ratings. A spokesman from Seven advised that the decision will be made in early 2017.^[13] Seven confirmed the program had been axed in January 2017.^[7]