It’s time to face the music once more, as the cranked-up karaoke contest that is The X Factor returns for its eighth year. This is amazing of a transitional series.
With svengali Simon Cowell busy launching the American version, the panel is 75 per cent latest, comprising Take That front man Gary Barlow, former Destiny’s Child diva Kelly Rowland, token “yoof"representative Tulisa Contostavlos from N-Dubz and Louis Walsh, the sole survivor from final series.
The boot camp stage has been revamped to be the toughest ever, taking place in front of a baying Wembley Arena audience, the live shows are going to be a stamina-sapping three hours extended, there will be fly-on-the-wall footage as contestant are filmed living together for the first time and Cowell will make his wonderful comeback for the final.
But it opens, as ever, with the audition stage. In another first, hopefuls have been capable to upload videos via YouTube, allowing for a bigger pool of potential talent – and tuneless lunatics.
During this first show, there are some flashes of vocal capability, a student who reveals more than just his voice and a brave hopeful who dares confront the feisty Contostavlos.
With svengali Simon Cowell busy launching the American version, the panel is 75 per cent latest, comprising Take That front man Gary Barlow, former Destiny’s Child diva Kelly Rowland, token “yoof"representative Tulisa Contostavlos from N-Dubz and Louis Walsh, the sole survivor from final series.
The boot camp stage has been revamped to be the toughest ever, taking place in front of a baying Wembley Arena audience, the live shows are going to be a stamina-sapping three hours extended, there will be fly-on-the-wall footage as contestant are filmed living together for the first time and Cowell will make his wonderful comeback for the final.
But it opens, as ever, with the audition stage. In another first, hopefuls have been capable to upload videos via YouTube, allowing for a bigger pool of potential talent – and tuneless lunatics.
During this first show, there are some flashes of vocal capability, a student who reveals more than just his voice and a brave hopeful who dares confront the feisty Contostavlos.
