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The X Factor is a television music competition franchise created by Simon Cowell. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for Pop Idol. It is now held in various countries. The contestants are aspiring pop singers drawn from public competitive auditions. The programmes are produced by executive producer Simon Cowell and his company SYCOtv. The "X Factor" of the title refers to the undefinable "something" that makes for star quality.[1] The prize is usually a recording contract, in addition to the publicity that appearance in the later stages of the show itself generates, not only for the winner but also for other highly ranked contestants.

The similarities between The X Factor and Idol prompted Idol creator Simon Fuller, along with 19 Entertainment, to file a lawsuit against Cowell, SYCOtv, and FremantleMedia in 2004. An out-of-court settlement was reached in 2005 allowing Fuller to gain a 10% share in The X Factor format, and preventing an American version until 2010.[2][3] Fuller later filed another lawsuit in 2011, claiming that he had also been promised that he would be credited as an executive producer of The X Factor USA, but that SYCO, FremantleMedia, and Fox Broadcasting Company had failed to fulfill that promise; that lawsuit is pending.[4][5][6][7]

Unlike Idol, where the judges only critique the contestants' performances, on The X Factor each judge "mentors" the finalists in a particular category, aiding them with song selection and styling, while also participating together in judging the contestants of the other categories. As well as Idol, new singing show The Voice has become a rival show toThe X Factor.

Contents[]

  [hide*The X Factor around the world

The X Factor around the world[edit][]

[1][2]Location of different franchises of The X Factor

  Own version  Joint version  Regional version

There have a total of 106 winners of The X Factor worldwide, the latest being Rose Fostanes from Israel. The X Factor has been adapted for numerous international versions of the show:

Country/Region Local title Network Winners Coaches Hosts
Albania X Factor TV Klan

Website

*Season 1, 2012: Sheila Haxhiraj *Current *Alketa Vejsiu
[3]Arab world سير النجاح X

The X Factor: Essence of Success

Rotana TV

Website

*Season 1, 2006: [4] Rajaa Kasabni *Khaled El Sheikh (1–2) *Joelle Rahme (1–2)
CBC (3–) *Season 3, 2013: [6] Mohammad El Rifi *Carole Samaha (3–) *Bassel Alzaro (3–)
 Armenia ԻՔՍ-ՖԱԿՏՈՐ

X-Factor

Shant TV

Website

*Season 1, 2010–2011: Vrezh Kirakosyan
  • Season 2, 2012–2013: Kim Grigoryan
*Current
  • Garik Baboyan
  • Naira Gyurjinyan
  • Gisane Palyan
  • André (3–)
  • Former
  • Egor Glumov (1)
*Aram Mp3
 Australia The X Factor Network Ten *Season 1, 2005Random *Kate Ceberano (1) *Daniel MacPherson (1)
Seven Network(2–)

Website

*Season 2, 2010Altiyan Childs *Current *Current
 Belgium X Factor VTM

Website

*Season 1, 2005: Udo Mechels *Kris Wauters (1–2) *Hadise (2)
 Bulgaria X Factor NovaTv

Website

*Season 1, 2011: Raffi Boghosyan *Current *Current
  • Maria Ignatova (2–)
  • Alexandra Raeva (2–)
  • Former
  • Deo (1)
 Chile Factor X TVN

Website

*Season 1, 2011Sergio Járlaz
  • Season 2, 2012: Juan Gabriel Valenzuela
*Tito Beltrán *Julián Elfenbein
 China The X Factor: 激情唱响

The X Factor: Passionate Singer

Liaoning TV *Season 1, 2011: Li Shangshang
  • Season 2, 2012: Chen Yumeng
*Angie Chai Chih-ping
  • Aduo
  • Chen Ming
  • Chen Yufan
*Da Zuo
  • Shao Wenjie
The X Factor: 中国最强音

The X Factor: China's Strongest Voice

Hunan TV *Season 1, 2013: Zeng Yiming *Eason Chan Yik-shun *Zhu Dan
 Colombia El Factor X

The X Factor

RCN TV

Website

*Series 1, 2005: Julio César Meza *Marbelle
  • José Gaviria
  • Juan Carlos Coronel
*Andrea Serna
El Factor X: Batalla de las Estrellas

The X Factor: Battle of the Stars

*Series 1, 2006: Luz Amparo Álvarez
El Factor Xs *Season 1, 2006: Andres Camilo Hurtado
  • Season 2, 2007: Camilo Echeverry Correa
  • Season 3, 2011: Shaira Selena Peláez
*Marbelle
 Czech Republic X Factor TV Nova

Website

*Season 1, 2008: Jiří Zonyga *Gábina Osvaldová *Leoš Mareš
 Denmark X Factor DR

Website

*Season 1, 2008: Martin Hoberg Hedegaard *Current *Current
  • Eva Harlou (7–)
  • Former
  • Signe Molde (6)
  • Lise Rønne (1–2, 4–5)
  • Signe Muusmann (3)
 Finland X Factor MTV3

Website

*Season 1, 2010: Elias Hämäläinen *Linda Brava
  • Renne Korppila
  • Gugi Kokljuschkin
*Heikki Paasonen
  • Jukka Rossi (Xtra Factor)
France X Factor [9]M6(2)

[10]W9(1) Website [11][12] RTL-TVI Website

*Season 1, 2009: Sébastien Agius *Henry Padovani (2) *Sandrine Corman (2)
 Germany X Factor VOX

Website

*Season 1, 2010Edita Abdieski *Sarah Connor (1–3) *Jochen Schropp
Greece The X Factor ANT1

ANT1 Cyprus Website

*Series 1, 2008–2009Loukas Giorkas *George Levendis
  • Giorgos Theofanous
  • Katerina Gagaki
  • Nikos Mouratidis
*Sakis Rouvas (Live shows)
  • Giorgos Lianos (Auditions)
  • Maria Sinatsaki (Auditions, 3)
  • Despina Kampouri (Auditions, 1–2)
 Hungary X-Faktor RTL Klub

Website

*Series 1, 2010Csaba Vastag *Current *Current
 Iceland X Factor Stöð 2

Website

*Series 1, 2006: Jógvan Hansen *Einar Bárðarson *Halla Vilhjálmsdóttir
 India X Factor India Sony Entertainment TV

Website

*Season 1, 2011: Geet Sagar *Sonu Nigam *Aditya Narayan
 Indonesia X Factor Indonesia RCTI

Website

*Season 1, 2012–2013Fatin Shidqia *Anggun *Robby Purba
 Israel The X Factor ישראל

The X Factor Israel

Channel 2 – Reshet

Website

*Season 1, 2013–2014[13] Rose Fostanes *Rami Fortis *Bar Refaeli
 Italy X Factor Sky Uno(5–)

Website Rai 2(1–4)

*Series 1, 2008: Aram Quartet *Current *Current
  • Alessandro Cattelan (5–)
  • Matteo Bordone (Xtra Factor, 7–)
  • Former
  • Francesco Facchinetti (1–4; Xtra Factor, 4)
  • Alessandra Barzaghi (Xtra Factor, 4)
  • Max Novaresi (Xtra Factor, 5–6)
  • Brenda Lodigiani (Xtra Factor, 5–6)
 Japan

 Okinawa

X Factor Okinawa Japan Okinawa TV

Website

*Season 1, 2013–2014: Current Season *Kaz Utsunomiya
  • Rino Nakasone
  • Kiyoshi Matsuo
*Jon Kabira
  • Naomi Watanabe
 Kazakhstan X Factor Perviy Kanal Evraziya

Website

*Season 1, 2011: Dariya Gabdull
  • Season 2, 2012: Andrey Tikhonov
  • Season 3, 2013: Evgeniya Barysheva
  • Season 4, 2013: Kairat Kapanov
*Current
  • Nagima Eskalieva
  • Alexander Shevchenko
  • Dilnaz Akhmadieva (4–)
  • Former
  • Ismail Igіlmanov (1–2)
  • Arnur Istybaev (2)
  • Adil Liyan (1)
  • Erlan Kokeev (3)
  • Sultana Karazhigitova (1-2)
*Current
  • Arnur Istybaev (2–)
  • Former
  • Adil Liyan (1)
 Lithuania X Faktorius TV3 *Season 1, 2012–2013: Giedrė Vokietytė *Saulius Prūsaitis *Marijonas Mikutavičius
 Netherlands X Factor RTL 4

Website

*Season 1, 2007Sharon Kips *Current *Current
  • Martijn Krabbe (2–)
  • Ferry Doedens (Backstage, 5–)
  • Former
  • Wendy van Dijk (1–4)
  • Lieke van Lexmond (Backstage, 4)
  • Nathalie Bulters (Backstage, 3)
  • Eva Treurniet (Backstage, 3)
 New Zealand The X Factor TV3

Website

*Season 1, 2013Jackie Thomas *Stan Walker *Dominic Bowden
 Norway X Factor TV 2

Website

*Season 1, 2009: Chand Torsvik *Jan Fredrik Karlsen *Ravi (2)
  • Guri Solberg (2)
  • Peter Moi Brubresko (Xtra Factor)
  • Katarina Flatland (Xtra Factor)
  • Charlotte Thorstvedt (1)
 Philippines The X Factor Philippines ABS-CBN

Website

*Season 1, 2012KZ Tandingan *Charice *KC Concepcion
 Poland X Factor TVN

Website

*Season 1, 2011Gienek Loska *Current *Current
 Portugal Factor X SIC *Season 1, 2013–2014: Current Season *Sónia Tavares
  • Paulo Junqueiro
  • Paulo Ventura
*Bárbara Guimarães
  • João Manzarra
  • Carolina Torres (Factor Extra)
  • Tiago Silva (Factor F)
 Romania X Factor Antena 1

Website

*Season 1, 2011–2012Andrei Leonte *Current *Răzvan Simion
  • Dani Oțil
 Russia Секрет Успеха

Secret of Success

RTR

Website

*Season 1, 2005: Vladimir Sapovskiy *Valeriy Meladze
  • Valery Garkalin (2)
  • Tigran Keosayan (2)
  • Katerina Von Gechmen-Valdek (1)
  • Aleksandr Revzin (1)
*Tutta Larsen
  • Aleksey Chumakov (1)
  • Elena Vorobey (1)
Фактор А

Faktor A

Russia 1

Website

*Season 1, 2011: Sergei Savin
  • Season 2, 2012: Alexey Sulima
  • Season 3, 2013: Mali
*Current *Current
Serbia X Factor Adria RTV Pink

Sitel TV

*Season 1, 2013-2014Current Season *Emina Jahović *Ana Grubin (Live Shows)
  • Bane Jevtić (Selection Process, Backstage)
  • Sneže Velkov (Selection Process, Backstage)
  • Una Senić (X Star, Judges' Houses)

 Slovakia

X Factor Slovensko JOJ

Website

*Season 1, 2014: Upcoming Season *Celeste Buckingham
  • TBD
  • TBD
  • TBD
*Martin "Pyco" Rausch
 Slovenia X Faktor POP TV *Season 1, 2012: Demetra Malalan *Damjan Damjanovič
  • Jadranka Juras
  • Aleš Uranjek
*Peter Poles
  • Vid Valič
 Spain Factor X Cuatro

Website

*Season 1, 2007: María Villalón *Miqui Puig *Nuria Roca
 Sweden X Factor TV4

Website

*Season 1, 2012: Awa Santesson-Sey *Andreas Carlsson *David Hellenius
 Turkey X Factor Kanal D *Season 1, 2013–2014: Upcoming Season *Ziynet Sali *Kadir Doğulu
 Ukraine The X Factor STB

Website

*Season 1, 2010–2011: Olexiy Kuznetsov
  • Season 2, 2011: Victor Romanchenko
  • Season 3, 2012: Aida Nikolaychuk
  • Season 4, 2013: Alexander Poryadinsky
*Current
  • Igor Kondratyuk
  • Sergei Sosedov
  • Seryoga
  • Irina Dubcova (3–)
  • Former
  • Yolka (1–2)
*Oksana Marchenko
 United Kingdom1 The X Factor ITV

Website

*Series 1, 2004Steve Brookstein *Current *Current
The X Factor: Battle of the Stars *Series 1, 2006: Lucy Benjamin *Simon Cowell *Kate Thornton
 United States The X Factor Fox

Website

*Season 1, 2011Melanie Amaro *Current *Current
El Factor X

The X Factor

MundoFox *Season 1, 2013: Los Tres Charritos *Belinda *Poncho de Anda
 Vietnam The X Factor Vietnam

Nhân tố bí ẩn

VTV3 *Season 1, 2014: Upcoming Season *Hồ Quỳnh Hương *TBA
Note
  1. ^ Also shown in Republic of Ireland and in series 3, 4 and 7, auditions were held in Dublin, and viewers in Ireland were allowed to vote.

Disputes and controversies[edit][]

Since it was first broadcast in 2004, The X Factor has been the subject of much controversy and criticism in the United Kingdom and many other countries where it was broadcast.

Legal dispute[edit][]

Simon Fuller, the creator of Pop Idol, claimed that the format of The X Factor was copied from his own show. Through his company 19 TV, Fuller filed a lawsuit against The X Factor producers FremantleMedia, The X Factor creatorSimon Cowell, and Cowell's companies Simco and Syco.[8] A High Court hearing began in London in November 2005, and the outcome was awaited with interest by media lawyers for its potential effect on the legal situation regarding the copyrighting of formats. However, the hearing was quickly adjourned[8] and an out-of-court settlement was reached at the end of the month.[9]

Denmark[edit][]

The Danish version has been criticised by Danish music contract expert and consultant for The Danish Musicians' Association (Dansk Musiker Forbund) Mikael Højris. According to Højris, the contracts for participation in the show are unfair for participants and almost amount to serfdom to DR1 (the channel airing the show) stating that clauses in the contracts forbid the participants — whether they pass the first round or not — from performing or participating in any other musical event for three months. He also criticises that participants are obliged to travel at their own expense.[10]

United Kingdom[edit][]

Main article: Controversy and criticism of The X Factor (UK)==Celebrity versions[edit]==

On May 29, 2006, ITV broadcast a celebrity version of The X Factor in the UK called The X Factor: Battle of the Stars. It was hosted by Kate Thornton and judged by Simon CowellSharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh. It was won byLucy Benjamin. There has also been a celebrity version in Colombia, El factor X: Batalla de las Estrellas, broadcast in 2006.

International versions[edit][]

On 24 August 2013, a 24th anniversary television special was broadcast by RCTI in Indonesia called the X Factor Around the World. It featured winners and runners-up from versions of The X Factor in IndonesiaUnited StatesUnited Kingdom and Australia. The judging panel comprised Paula AbdulAnggunDaniel BedingfieldAhmad Dhani and Louis Walsh. The show was purely a music showcase and no winner was announced.

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