The X Factor is an Australian television reality music competition, based on the original UK series, to find new singing talent. The first series of the show was broadcast from February to May, however, since the second series it has been broadcast from July/August until the grand final in November. The X Factor is produced by FremantleMedia Australia, and is currently broadcast on the Seven Network. The title “X Factor” refers to a singing talent which is “unique” and “something” that makes for star quality. Network Ten held rights for The X Factor in 2005, but dropped the show after the first series due to poor ratings. In 2010, the Seven Network went into a “bidding war” to gain rights for the show, and later won and a second series went into production. The X Factor was renewed after a highly successful Australian Idol was no longer broadcast through Network Ten. It is also broadcast in New Zealand on TV3. Two series of The Xtra Factor were broadcast through Network Ten in 2005 and 7Two in 2010. The show was not renewed for a third series in 2011.

The original judging panel line-up in 2005 consisted of Kate Ceberano, Mark Holden, and John Reid. When the show was revived in 2010, the judging panel was replaced by Ronan Keating, Guy Sebastian, Natalie Imbruglia, and Kyle Sandilands. Imbruglia and Sandilands did not return for series three and were replaced by Melanie Brown and Natalie Bassingthwaighte. Dannii Minogue and Redfoo joined the panel in the fifth series as replacements for Brown and Sebastian. During the televised audition phases of The X Factor, originally the contestants sang in an “audition room” in front of just the judges, however, from series 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 will continue to the live shows, where the public vote for their favourite act, following weekly performances by the contestants.

Stephen Mulhern presents the sister show of Britain’s Got Talent where he interviews the judges and the latest performers from the show.

The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent, contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. Created by Simon Cowell, the show began in September 2004 and has since aired annually from August/September through to December. The show is produced by FremantleMedia’s Thames and Cowell’s production company SYCOtv. It 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. It is the originator of the international The X Factor franchise. 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 “X Factor” of the title refers to the undefinable “something” that makes for star quality.

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 announced she would not return for series 9 and was replaced by Nicole Scherzinger. Osbourne later returned in 2013, replacing Contostavlos. Since 2007, the show has been presented by Dermot O’Leary, who replaced original host Kate Thornton. The show is split into a series of phases, following the contestants from auditions through to the grand finale. In the original 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 down 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.

Britain’s Got Talent is a reality talent show hosted by Ant and Dec. Anyone of any age with some sort of talent can audition for the show. Throughout the show, contestants must perform in front of the judges. Acts compete against each other in order to gain the audience support while trying to win the title of “The winner of Britain’s Got Talent”. The winner is given the opportunity to perform at the Royal Variety Performance in front of members of the British Royal Family. The winner also receives a cash prize, which from series 1 to 5 was £100,000, but was increased to £500,000 in series 6 and then lowered to £250,000 in series 7.

America’s Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of one million dollars. The show debuted in June 2006 for the summer television season. From season three onwards, the prize includes the one million dollars, payable in a financial annuity over 40 years, and a show as the headliner on the Las Vegas Strip.

Among its significant features were that it gave an opportunity to talented amateurs or unknown performers, with the results decided by an audience vote. The format is a popular one and has often been reworked for television in the United States and the United Kingdom.

The current incarnation was created by Simon Cowell, and was originally due to be a 2005 British series called Paul O’Grady’s Got Talent but was postponed due to O’Grady’s acrimonious split with broadcaster ITV. As such, the American version became the first full series of the franchise. Despite Cowell’s involvement in the show’s production, his contract with Fox for his involvement with American Idol prevented him from being involved in the show as a judge. After leaving Idol Cowell began to produce and judge a version of The X Factor for Fox in 2011.