| The X Factor - part of a rich TV tradition Talent | | | | where the performers have to sing a song in front |
| shows were popular in the UK from the 1950s to the | | | | of the panel, usually without instrumental |
| 1990s, and shows such as Opportunity Knocks and | | | | accompaniment, to gauge the quality of the voice. |
| New Faces launched the careers of many a singer, | | | | The decision as to whether they advance is down to |
| comedian and conjuror as TV personalities. Les | | | | the panel, not the public. Also, groups are allowed to |
| Dawson, Victoria Wood, Lenny Henry, Bonnie | | | | enter as an existing ensemble, unlike Popstars, which |
| Langford, Freddie Starr and Paul Daniels are among | | | | auditioned individuals and assembled the groups from |
| the acts who used these shows as a springboard. | | | | the cream of the performers. Acts enter one of four |
| Winners were chosen either by a studio panel or | | | | categories - groups, solo singers aged 14-24 (male |
| postal votes - phone voting was technologically | | | | and female) and solo singers 25 and over. Those |
| inefficient until the digital age. Around the turn on the | | | | successful in auditions go on to "Boot Camp" and the |
| millennium, Popstars and Pop Idol took the format a | | | | survivors here have personal tuition and guidance at |
| little further, launching the careers of Will Young, | | | | their category judge's home. Numbers are then |
| Hear'Say, Gareth Gates, Liberty X, The Cheeky Girls | | | | whittled down to the live finals, which take place |
| and the most successful, Girls Aloud. With a little help | | | | over several Saturdays in a televised theatre |
| from Big Brother and The Eurovision Song Contest, | | | | situation, with the winner finally being declared when |
| the public became used to telephone voting; huge | | | | all competition has been eliminated through public |
| numbers could cast their votes and the results could | | | | voting. The prize is a million-pound recording contract. |
| be confirmed the same night. The scene was set for | | | | More than a talent contest Although the show is |
| Simon Cowell's project - The X Factor. What | | | | nominally a talent show, the cameras are privy to |
| differentiates these later shows from the early talent | | | | much of the contestants' personal life, their family |
| shows is that the acts in the original programmes | | | | and most points during the auditioning, training and, of |
| were usually established performers but on a small | | | | course, the live performances. They will also have to |
| scale, working in cabaret and clubs up and down the | | | | take part in public relations appearances and stunts, |
| country. Although there are obvious exceptions, the | | | | all of which builds up a picture of the personality, and |
| new breed often have no experience of performing | | | | being likeable is as important as having talent and |
| live and go through an arduous audition process along | | | | stage presence. Many a loser of these contests has |
| with tens of thousands of other hopefuls. In both | | | | gone on to greater things, and many a winner has |
| cases, TV exposure was a priceless opportunity for | | | | fallen by the wayside. For contestants of talent |
| the acts, as it was unlikely that they would be talent | | | | shows new and old, the most important thing is the |
| spotted any other way. The X Factor format The X | | | | exposure. And with plans afoot for a Europe-wide X |
| Factor is a purely musical show - there are no | | | | Factor, a handful of acts could well receive an |
| comedians, poets, dancers or jugglers here. The | | | | unbelievable amount of publicity. |
| format of The X Factor is similar to those of | | | | Charlie Buquette wrote this about Xfactor Audition |
| Popstars and Pop Idol, in that the series starts with | | | | Sheet Music. |
| huge auditions at various venues around the country, | | | | |