The X Factor returning to Seven
Seven has announced the return of The X Factor this year -and lowered the minimum age for contestants to just 14 years of age.
- Published by David Knox
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Seven has announced the return of The X Factor this year.
Question marks had hovered over the return of the talent quest which was won by singer Altiyan Childs in 2010.
Despite not confirming any judges for the new season, auditions will start in just two weeks time.
The X Factor features either solo performers or groups mentored by judges as Boys under 25, Girls under 25, the over 25s and the Groups. The show is again produced by FremantleMedia Australia.
But in a surprising change to the format, the new minimum age for contestants has been lowered to just 14 years of age. This lowers the age of reality contestants from 16 years in such shows as Australia’s Next Top Model by two years, and into the spotlight of television and the media. Other shows such as Junior MasterChef have gone even lower but with strict guardianship.
The winner will again land a recording contract with Sony Music Australia.
Auditions will begin this month:
PERTH
Sunday March 27
Parmelia Hilton
Registration 9am-3.30pm
ADELAIDE
Tuesday March 29
AAMI Stadium
Registration 11am-6.30pm
BRISBANE
Saturday April 2
Sunday April 3
Gold Coast Convention Centre
Registration 9am-3.30pm
SYDNEY
Friday April 8
Saturday April 9
Sunday April 10
Australian Technology Park
Registration 9am-3.30pm
MELBOURNE
Friday April 15
Saturday April 16
Sunday April 17
Moonee Valley Racecourse
Registration 9am-3.30pm
More info is at www.xfactortv.com.au
Further details on the show, including judges, will be announced soon.
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- Tagged with Australia's Next Top Model, Junior Masterchef, The X Factor
40 Responses
why do people say things like it was criticized for nothing & what can be done to improve the show when its so obvious, get people on there who can actually sing! i did have a look in the early stages & the singing was woeful for a show of this stature, its supposed to be the cream of the crop from around the country not from the local karaoke club! i am not criticizing the guy who won & also a few others who can sing properly, but its like they set it up so there were maybe 3 good singers our of the whole lot whom the winner would be chosen from & the rest were just there to be used for teen appeal etc to get ratings, not the sort of talent show im interested in.
Back with budget cuts no doubt !!! that contact must have been water tight LOL
Cilla Wow Double Platinum !!! Gee wonder what those record stores are going to do with all those surplus CD’s they ordered ??? even if and that’s a big even if they sold, doubt the money will flow up stream, shezz there is heaps “costs” to be paid for LOL
Kyle Sandilands, Dannii Minogue and Brian McFadden are Australia’s Got Talent judges.
Guy Sebastian, Natalie Imbruglia and Ronan Keating are X Factor judges.
Very similar shows, but get the judges right ppl! 😛
@Belinda, I’d imagine Fox8 would, given that they screen American Idol fresh off the satellite… at least I hope they’ll have the rights. I want to see it in HD!
@Armchair Analyst: why try to fix what ain’t broken? 7 did an outstanding job with the show last year, and I don’t really think anything needs changing… except replacing Kyle. 😉
So we’re all up in arms as if this was the first popular Seven Network talent contest that has allowed under 16s to participate?
“Has been” judges looking for another victim of 5 mins of fame …. shame on Ch 7.
I dont think 7 will make any improvements to this show at all. In my opinion they will just stick to what they are doing. Television netoworks have a habit of not doing what is logical and doing the illogical, especially in the last 10 years.
Do Seven or Ten (or Foxtel) have the rights to the US version? If its Ten, they can air it on Eleven to spoil or leech off the Australian version (see My Kitchen Rules).
Let’s just hope they allow some original talent through, not just failed wannabe rockstars trying to be the next Bon Jovi, or upstarts trying to be the “next Lady Gaga”.
14 !
That’s just wrong.
i think it was more the timeslot which lead to low ratings, rather then the actual program. up against a show like JM doing 1.5million each night, there just wasn’t enough people left to watch! i think this year they should move it to a mon/tues combo. it seems all the multichannels are taking a big chunk out of sundays audience, so monday seems to rate higher on the primaries. Also, tuesdays decider will get a boost by PTTR, which should be back on air by then.
i dont really think that having the host on screen during the audition phase would of made much difference. it didnt feel like there was something missing.
That’s great news. I loved it last year and am pleased that Seven have decided on a series 2.
Im glad this is back, it scored 1.8million for its finale, so deserves another run around the park, Simon Cowell is very protective of this show, so, I dont think we will see it done “on the cheap” as has been suggested.
There will be big hype in the lead up to the US version launching in September, so, if seven cashes in on that, then the local version may get a bounce
How do we know that Kyle won’t be chucking another sickie and missing missing most of this show too?
I’m quite surprised to hear it is back as it was not a ratings powerhouse and it must cost a fortune to produce. I only saw a handful of episodes last year and wasn’t impressed by either the talent on show or the format. The host, Luke Jacobz, was terrible. I hope he is replaced. I’ve never been wild about Sandilands, so he can go as well. Not impressed at the lowering of the age limit. I don’t think an ultra-competitive talent show like this is an environment for someone as young as 14.