Si’s twist to get back the edge Factor
Evil spin for judges to give show a boost
XFactor bosses have made the new series the most competitive yet – by allowing judges to pick each other’s acts. For the first time ever, the panel – Nicole Scherzinger, Louis Walsh, Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne – have been told to pick one wildcard act for a rival judge to add to their final six before the judges’ houses leg of the competition.
It means that, despite picking their preferred acts at the fixed-chair challenge, each judge has been forced to accept an act they had previously dumped.
A show source said: “We love adding new twists and it was felt that introducing wildcard acts earlier in the series would liven things up and make the show edgier.
“The fixed-chair challenge is hard enough but now there’s been scope for a bit of tactical game-playing, with each judge picking an extra act for a rival. It’s already caused a few fireworks.”
The singers, who have been given a lifeline, have already been selected.
Louis’ judge’s house is being filmed this week, with the other houses being shot in the next fortnight. The show starts on Saturday.
Nicole has picked a final act for Sharon’s Overs category, Simon one for Nicole’s Boys category, Louis one for Simon’s Girls category, and Sharon one for Louis’ Groups.
There will also be more deliberating than usual, because they’re still being allowed to take only three acts each through to the live finals, meaning four acts will be eliminated instead of the usual three.
Show bosses introduced wildcard acts in 2012 ahead of the live shows. That year judges Nicole, Louis, Gary Barlow and Tulisa were told to choose one wildcard act each, but not until after judges’ houses.
They then went up against each other in a public vote, with the winner getting to perform with the 12 other finalists.
But they’ve never been asked to pick for each other before.
Last year’s X Factor saw some of its lowest-ever ratings, and the gap between BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing widened even more.
Just over eight million tuned in to see Louisa Johnson win the series – two million fewer than the year before. Meanwhile nearly 12 million were glued to the Strictly final, which saw Aliona Vilani and singer Jay McGuiness waltz home with the glitterball trophy.
■ITV, 8pm, Saturday