New X Factor judging panel confirmed by ITV

May 31, 2011 By Carl Wheeler
x-factor

The new look judging panel for this year’s X Factor has been confirmed in an announcement on Twitter by ITV, and there’s no room for the one time golden girl of the hit talent show, Cheryl Cole.

Many believed the Girls Aloud singer would rejoin the judging panel after being ditched by the US version of the show last week amid fears American viewers wouldn’t understand her Geordie accent. However there was no mention of the 27-year-old on this morning’s announcement by the TV channel.

So Cheryl Cole is out, as is Dannii Minogue and Simon Cowell who has bowed out to concentrate on the American X Factor. On the flip side, Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland is in, as is N Dubz star Tulisa Contostavlos and Gary Barlow who have all been confirmed as the judges on this year’s X Factor. Louis Walsh has survived the chop and is the only remaining judge from last year’s panel.

It’s been reported that Cheryl Cole was given the opportunity to return to the UK version of the X Factor, but that she failed to respond to offer before the deadline set by TV bosses. There’s been no word as to whether the Fight for this Love singer will be making an appearance on this year’s show in a non-judging capacity.

The auditions for this year’s show are due to start this Wednesday in Birmingham followed by auditions in Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff, London and Liverpool.

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Sharon Osborne set to stir up the X-Factor

August 25, 2010 By Dez Rowley
sharon-osbourne

Fiery Sharon Osborne is set to stir things up on this series of the X-Factor as it’s been revealed she’ll be joining the show temporarily.

Two years after she dramatically quit the show, later revealing she left because of fellow judge Dannii Minogue, the 57-year-old is now set to re-join the hit ITV talent search programme.

Sharon will be joining regular judge Louise Walsh to help him whittle down a shortlist of finalists to make it through to the live finals during the judges’ houses segment of the show.

Last year, Irish judge Louis enlisted the help of singer Ronan Keating while trying to decide which acts would make it onto the live shows. However, given the Boyzone singer’s recent personal problems, it was thought best if he stepped down from his role on this year’s series.

One person who won’t be happy to hear the news that the wife of Ozzy Osborne is back on the box will be X-Factor judge Dannii Minogue. The pair famously clashed on the show, with Sharon later admitting that the Aussie singer was the reason she gave up her role as a judge.

Dannii is due to return to the X-Factor next month during the judges’ houses section of the show after taking time out to have her baby boy Ethan.

The new series of the show kicked off last Saturday night and is already causing controversy after it was discovered that auto tone technology had been used to enhance the performances of singers during the audition process.

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The second group bites the dust as Miss Frank leave X-Factor

October 26, 2009 By Kate Owen
Girl group Miss Frank bow out of the X-Factor
Girl group Miss Frank bow out of the X-Factor

Girl group Miss Frank bow out of the X-Factor

In a shock result on last night’s results show on the X-Factor, the bookies’ favourite Danyl Johnson and girl group Miss Frank found themselves singing for survival. The judges struggled to come to a decision and in the end, Cheryl Cole brought it back to the public vote after saying she was “confused” by the situation and thought it best to leave this one up to the public.

A glum looking Miss Frank were announced as the act with the least number of votes and made their X-Factor exit. It comes after the girls gave what was arguably their best performance on the show, with all four judges giving positive feedback. Simon Cowell was openly shocked when his act Danyl Johnson was announced as being in the bottom two saying “I think it’s a joke that you’re in the position you’re in, a total joke.”

Despite entering the competition as solo artists, the girls were urged to form a band on the judges’ recommendation after being impressed with their combined audition during boot camp where they sang as group as part of the task. Although their X-Factor journey has come to an end, Miss Frank have vowed to stay together and continue to pursue their dream of a professional singing career.

Miss Frank are the second out of three acts mentored by Louis Walsh to be evicted from the show; now the only hope Louis has of winning the competition is with the controversial Irish twins, John and Edward.

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Photographer falls under Robbie Williams’ chauffeur driven limo

October 12, 2009 By Kate Owen
Robbie Williams' limo knocks down a photographer
Robbie Williams' limo knocks down a photographer

Robbie Williams' limo knocks down a photographer

Following his triumphant comeback performance on last night’s X-Factor results show, Robbie Williams was mobbed by fans and photographers as he attempted to leave the TV studios in Wembley. In scenes described as being “chaotic” one rooky 18 year old photographer got a little too close to the pop star’s limo which resulted in him being dragged underneath the vehicle.  

The former Take That singer appeared on the X-Factor to perform his brand new single, due for release today, entitled Bodies. It was the first time Robbie had performed the track on live TV in the UK and he was visibly emotional after the appreciative response he received from the audience.

After Robbie emerged from his successful performance he was whisked away in the back his Chrysler limo when the snapper fell under the car. Security rushed to the aid of the trapped photographer. Robbie was described as looking “tearful” by one onlooker as he left his limo following the accident. The young photographer, known only as Steven, was said to have received medical treatment but his injuries were only minor.  

Robbie also acted as a mentor earlier in the week for this year’s X-Factor contestants. When asked who he tipped for glory this year, he chose to remain silent and said he was unable to pick between them.

Following the first live show of the series, Rachel and girl group Kandy Rain found themselves in the sing-off. After the judges failed to reach a decision, it went down to the public vote with Kandy Rain coming in last and exiting the show. Their mentor, Louis Walsh, pulled out of last night’s show following the sudden death of Stephen Gately, whose band Boyzone Louis manages.

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Simon Cowell hires a fleet of limos to transport guests to his 50th birthday bash

October 5, 2009 By Kate Owen
Simon Cowell hires limos for guests at 50th bash

Simon Cowell’s birthday bash certainly didn’t disappoint. The well connected X-Factor judge invited an army of 400 celebrity friends along to Wrotham Park, Hertfordshire, to celebrate his big 50 in style. The star studded event was a tongue-in-cheek ego fest which featured table cloths with Simon’s silhouette, waiters wearing Cowell masks, and inside each toilet cubicle was a framed picture of the birthday boy whilst a DVD of various celebrities speaking in glowing terms about Simon played on a loop in the back ground.

Simon Cowell hires limos for guests at 50th bash

Simon Cowell hires limos for guests at 50th bash

However the music mogul didn’t forget to treat his guests on his big day. A fleet of top of the range limousines complete with suited chauffeurs were hired to transport guests from central London to the luxurious marquee in Hertfordshire. The revelry carried on until the wee small hours with the birthday boy finally calling it a night just before 5am. He was chauffeured home in his favourite vehicle, a black Rolls Royce Phantom.

Amongst the glittering guest list which read like a bumper issue of heat magazine, were several of Simon’s old flames including Terri Seymour, Sinitta and Jackie St Claire. His mother Julie Cowell had pride of place next to her son at the top table whilst fellow X-Factor judge Cheryl Cole, minus husband Ashley, sat on his other side. Other notable celebs who attended included Danni Minogue and Louis Walsh, Katie Price (who arrived late) David Hasslehoff, Gordon Ramsey, Kevin Spacey, Kate Moss and retail billionaire and Top Shop owner Sir Philip Green whose wife, Tina, organised the whole event.

Not surprisingly for someone who made millions out of the music industry, the entertainment was suitably spectacular. Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke performed as well as retro band Earth Wind and Fire plus a tribute Frank Sinatra act. The whole party reportedly set the Cowell back a cool £1 million; let’s hope the straight talking judge who admits to not liking parties much managed to enjoy himself.

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Simon Cowell advises X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke to lay off Twitter

August 25, 2009 By Kate Owen
X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke reveals Simon Cowell isn't a fan of Twitter
X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke reveals Simon Cowell isn't a fan of <a href=Twitter” width=”215″ height=”300″ />

X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke

Alexandra Burke shot to fame last year as she became the winner of the X-Factor 2008 and today she was in London to unveil her brand new single. However the down to earth star revealed in an interview to Chris Moles that her boss, Simon Cowell, doesn’t share her passion for micro blogging site Twitter, and has advised her to lay off it.

The singer from Islington was on the Chris Moyles radio show this morning to hear the first airing of her forthcoming single. The track, entitled Bad Boys, also features guest vocals from U.S rapper Flo Rida. The new single is a definite departure from her debut release which was a cover of Hallelujah. This upbeat floor filler is guaranteed to get fans up and dancing, plus many pundits are tipping it to hit the number one spot.

During the interview on the Radio one breakfast show Alexandra admitted to being “addicted” to Twitter and revealed she even followed the show’s host, Chris Moyles. Other celebs followed by the X-factor winner via the social networking site include Lady GaGa and Tyra Banks. Alexandra puts Simon Cowell’s dislike of Twitter down to the fact that he doesn’t “really get it.”

Maybe Simon, whose record label Syco signed the star, is right to advise a Twitter boycott as the 21 year old revealed she hasn’t finished her album yet. One of the biggest problems in finalising the album is choosing which songs to keep and which to ditch. Alexandra said she pushed Simon to let her have a double sided album but his response was “no way.” The new single is released on October 12th with her debut album to follow, um…sometime.

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Simon Cowell favours luxury limo hire on first episode of the X-Factor

August 24, 2009 By Carl Wheeler
Simon Cowell could be about to give up full time judging duties on TV talent show
If you were one of the 9.9 million people who tuned into the first episode of this year’s X-Factor on Saturday night then you may have noted the difference in calibre of vehicles used by each of the judges. Where Simon Cowell’s colleagues, Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue chose to arrive at the Manchester auditions in a fleet of silver BMW’s, flash Simon couldn’t help himself and chose to make his entrance in a chauffeur driven, exclusive black Rolls Royce Phantom.
As one of the most influential members of the judging panel, and one of the most successful music mangers of recent time, Simon has an image to uphold; and the Rolls Royce Phantom is certainly the right vehicle to create an impression. The striking supercar has an imposing yet elegant image, onboard you’ll find all the latest luxury features you’d expect of a vehicle of this calibre. There’s a champagne bar, DVD player plus plasma screen, mood lighting, air conditioning, and leather reclining seats making a very popular choice for limo hire.
However it’s doubtful whether Simon had a chance to enjoy all the Rolls Royce Phantom has to offer as viewers will have noticed Simon’s trip from his hotel to the audition venue was embarrassingly short. The Roller didn’t even make it a out of first gear as the 49-year-old music mogul hopped aboard, and was driven 25 metres round the corner of the same building and made his arrival in front of hundreds of screaming fans. But red-faced Cowell seemed to see the funny side saying with a grin, “I didn’t know my hotel was so close to the venue.”
The opening episode of the 6th series of X-Factor was a blinding success pulling in 9.9 million viewers; the second highest ratings of the night went to The National Lottery which only attracted a paltry 2.3 million viewers in comparison. As expected there was the usual mix of contestants ranging from the sublime to the scary. School teacher Danyl Johnson received a standing ovation from both the audiences and the judges, tipping him as a potential winner. X-Factor fever is already gripping the nation, hold on tight for what’s sure to be an unforgettable series.
Simon Cowell alongside his favourite luxury Rolls Royce

Simon Cowell alongside his favourite luxury Rolls Royce

If you were one of the 9.9 million people who tuned into the first episode of this year’s X-Factor on Saturday night then you may have noted the difference in calibre of vehicles used by each of the judges. Where Simon Cowell’s colleagues, Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue chose to arrive at the Manchester auditions in a fleet of silver BMW’s, flash Simon couldn’t help himself and chose to make his entrance in a chauffeur driven, exclusive black Rolls Royce Phantom.

As one of the most influential members of the judging panel, and one of the most successful music mangers of recent time, Simon has an image to uphold; and the Rolls Royce Phantom is certainly the right vehicle to create an impression. The striking supercar has an imposing yet elegant image, onboard you’ll find all the latest luxury features you’d expect of a vehicle of this calibre. There’s a champagne bar, DVD player plus plasma screen, mood lighting, air conditioning, and leather reclining seats making a very popular choice for limo hire.

However it’s doubtful whether Simon had a chance to enjoy all the Rolls Royce Phantom has to offer as viewers will have noticed Simon’s trip from his hotel to the audition venue was embarrassingly short. The Roller didn’t even make it a out of first gear as the 49-year-old music mogul hopped aboard, and was driven 25 metres round the corner of the same building and made his arrival in front of hundreds of screaming fans. But red-faced Cowell seemed to see the funny side saying with a grin, “I didn’t know my hotel was so close to the venue.”

The opening episode of the 6th series of X-Factor was a blinding success pulling in 9.9 million viewers; the second highest ratings of the night went to The National Lottery which only attracted a paltry 2.3 million viewers in comparison. As expected there was the usual mix of contestants ranging from the sublime to the scary. School teacher Danyl Johnson received a standing ovation from both the audiences and the judges, tipping him as a potential winner. X-Factor fever is already gripping the nation, hold on tight for what’s sure to be an unforgettable series.

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Cheryl Cole’s nerves at solo X-Factor performance

August 19, 2009 By Kate Owen
Cheryl Cole will debut her first solo single on the X-Factor
Cheryl Cole will debut her first solo single on the X-Factor

Cheryl Cole will debut her first solo single on the X-Factor

Cheryl Cole will be putting herself directly in the firing line during the next series of X-Factor as she makes her first solo performance on the live Saturday night show. Fellow judge, Simon Cowell, has agreed to let the Girls Aloud singer debut her first solo single on the hit ITV show.

Reports suggest that the rest of the judging panel, made up of Simon, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue, are all right behind the 26 year old singer. However a source did add “there is always the fear that Simon will say something a bit catty.” Although this is unlikely as Cheryl is a big hit with the music mogul.

Whether Cheryl can rely on Louis Walsh’s support is another matter entirely. The Irish manager recently moaned in a national newspaper that his female colleagues, Dannii and Cheryl, were turning the programme into a fashion show. During his long whinge he said “Cheryl has different hair all the time – new hair, high hair, different clothes. They come in like little peacocks in their high heels every day.”

Despite the fact Cheryl performed on the last series of X-Factor with Girls Aloud, this performance will be a whole new experience for the Geordie singer as she won’t have her band mates around to support her. Although the circumstances are not completely alien to the Cheryl as she won her place in the chart-topping girl band through her performance on the talent show Pop Stars, The Rivals in 2002.

Cheryl only joined the X-Factor last year but managed to successfully mentor the winning act, Alexandra Burke, who is also scheduled to perform on this year’s show. In a twist of fate the two female singers will battle it out in the charts as their two solo albums are released next month. The coming months are sure to bring plenty of drama and excitement as the X-Factor machine swings into action, bring it on!

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Simon Cowell in search for another X Factor superstar

August 14, 2009 By TJ Harris

After rumours about simon-cowellSimon Cowell to quit the X Factor last month the music mogul has promised to find another X Factor winner who can achieve success on an international level.

In a recent interview with the ITV website recently, Simon predicted that unique talent will have the best chance of winning the competition this year which returns to ITV1 on August 22.

When Simon Cowell was asked to name the qualities he is looking for, he replied: “The X Factor this year is relevance. You know, you should be able to find somebody who there is a genuine gap in the market for.

“And we’ve proven through this process that you can find someone who’s going to sell records all over the world. So not to make that your benchmark is a huge, huge mistake.”

Other judges like Louis Walsh are looking for other strong points in individuals such as stamina and determination.

He explained: “You have to have everything to do well in The X Factor. It’s hard work for these people.

“They don’t realise how much it’s going to take out of them to go out and do the live show. The live show is very stressful, it’s very draining, it’s a lot of hard work [and] you have to be totally into your craft.”

Although The X Factor is usually a good show this year is set to be something more special.

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