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