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] *1 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 | *Season 1, 2012: Sheila Haxhiraj
|
*Current
|
*Alketa Vejsiu |
[3]Arab world | سير النجاح X
The X Factor: Essence of Success |
Rotana TV | *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 | *Season 1, 2010–2011: Vrezh Kirakosyan
|
*Current
|
*Aram Mp3 |
Australia | The X Factor | Network Ten | *Season 1, 2005: Random | *Kate Ceberano (1)
|
*Daniel MacPherson (1)
|
Seven Network(2–) | *Season 2, 2010: Altiyan Childs
|
*Current
|
*Current
| ||
Belgium | X Factor | VTM | *Season 1, 2005: Udo Mechels
|
*Kris Wauters (1–2)
|
*Hadise (2)
|
Bulgaria | X Factor | NovaTv | *Season 1, 2011: Raffi Boghosyan
|
*Current
|
*Current
|
Chile | Factor X | TVN | *Season 1, 2011: Sergio Járlaz
|
*Tito Beltrán
|
*Julián Elfenbein |
China | The X Factor: 激情唱响
The X Factor: Passionate Singer |
Liaoning TV | *Season 1, 2011: Li Shangshang
|
*Angie Chai Chih-ping
|
*Da Zuo
|
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 | *Series 1, 2005: Julio César Meza
|
*Marbelle
|
*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
|
*Marbelle
| |||
Czech Republic | X Factor | TV Nova | *Season 1, 2008: Jiří Zonyga | *Gábina Osvaldová
|
*Leoš Mareš |
Denmark | X Factor | DR | *Season 1, 2008: Martin Hoberg Hedegaard
|
*Current
|
*Current
|
Finland | X Factor | MTV3 | *Season 1, 2010: Elias Hämäläinen | *Linda Brava
|
*Heikki Paasonen
|
* France | X Factor | [9]M6(2) | *Season 1, 2009: Sébastien Agius
|
*Henry Padovani (2)
|
*Sandrine Corman (2)
|
Germany | X Factor | VOX | *Season 1, 2010: Edita Abdieski
|
*Sarah Connor (1–3)
|
*Jochen Schropp
|
* Greece | The X Factor | ANT1 | *Series 1, 2008–2009: Loukas Giorkas | *George Levendis
|
*Sakis Rouvas (Live shows)
|
Hungary | X-Faktor | RTL Klub | *Series 1, 2010: Csaba Vastag
|
*Current
|
*Current
|
Iceland | X Factor | Stöð 2 | *Series 1, 2006: Jógvan Hansen | *Einar Bárðarson | *Halla Vilhjálmsdóttir |
India | X Factor India | Sony Entertainment TV | *Season 1, 2011: Geet Sagar | *Sonu Nigam | *Aditya Narayan |
Indonesia | X Factor Indonesia | RCTI | *Season 1, 2012–2013: Fatin Shidqia
|
*Anggun | *Robby Purba |
Israel | The X Factor ישראל
The X Factor Israel |
Channel 2 – Reshet | *Season 1, 2013–2014: [13] Rose Fostanes | *Rami Fortis | *Bar Refaeli |
Italy | X Factor | Sky Uno(5–) | *Series 1, 2008: Aram Quartet
|
*Current
|
*Current
|
Japan | X Factor Okinawa Japan | Okinawa TV | *Season 1, 2013–2014: Current Season | *Kaz Utsunomiya
|
*Jon Kabira
|
Kazakhstan | X Factor | Perviy Kanal Evraziya | *Season 1, 2011: Dariya Gabdull
|
*Current
|
*Current
|
Lithuania | X Faktorius | TV3 | *Season 1, 2012–2013: Giedrė Vokietytė | *Saulius Prūsaitis
|
*Marijonas Mikutavičius |
Netherlands | X Factor | RTL 4 | *Season 1, 2007: Sharon Kips
|
*Current
|
*Current
|
New Zealand | The X Factor | TV3 | *Season 1, 2013: Jackie Thomas | *Stan Walker | *Dominic Bowden |
Norway | X Factor | TV 2 | *Season 1, 2009: Chand Torsvik
|
*Jan Fredrik Karlsen
|
*Ravi (2)
|
Philippines | The X Factor Philippines | ABS-CBN | *Season 1, 2012: KZ Tandingan | *Charice | *KC Concepcion |
Poland | X Factor | TVN | *Season 1, 2011: Gienek Loska
|
*Current
|
*Current
|
Portugal | Factor X | SIC | *Season 1, 2013–2014: Current Season | *Sónia Tavares
|
*Bárbara Guimarães
|
Romania | X Factor | Antena 1 | *Season 1, 2011–2012: Andrei Leonte | *Current
|
*Răzvan Simion
|
Russia | Секрет Успеха
Secret of Success |
RTR | *Season 1, 2005: Vladimir Sapovskiy
|
*Valeriy Meladze
|
*Tutta Larsen
|
Фактор А
Faktor A |
Russia 1 | *Season 1, 2011: Sergei Savin
|
*Current
|
*Current
| |
* Serbia | X Factor Adria | RTV Pink | *Season 1, 2013-2014: Current Season | *Emina Jahović | *Ana Grubin (Live Shows)
|
X Factor Slovensko | JOJ | *Season 1, 2014: Upcoming Season | *Celeste Buckingham
|
*Martin "Pyco" Rausch | |
Slovenia | X Faktor | POP TV | *Season 1, 2012: Demetra Malalan | *Damjan Damjanovič
|
*Peter Poles
|
Spain | Factor X | Cuatro | *Season 1, 2007: María Villalón
|
*Miqui Puig
|
*Nuria Roca |
Sweden | X Factor | TV4 | *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 | *Season 1, 2010–2011: Olexiy Kuznetsov
|
*Current
|
*Oksana Marchenko |
United Kingdom1 | The X Factor | ITV | *Series 1, 2004: Steve 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 | *Season 1, 2011: Melanie 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
- ^ 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 Cowell, Sharon 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 Indonesia, United States, United Kingdom and Australia. The judging panel comprised Paula Abdul, Anggun, Daniel Bedingfield, Ahmad Dhani and Louis Walsh. The show was purely a music showcase and no winner was announced.