THE X FACTOR POP IDOL SINGING TALENT AND MUSICAL SHOWCASE - STEVE BROOKSTEIN AND G4, SIMON COWELL LOUIS WALSH SHARON OSBOURNE

THE 'X' FACTOR - Finalists 11 December 2004

HEAD to HEAD :

The X Factor was a 2004 ITV television show of similar format to Pop Idol, the first series of which was won by Steve Brookstein. It was a music talent search split over three categories: group, solo 16-25 and solo 25 and over. The judges are Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne.

After the initial auditions, each judge was randomly allocated a category (Cowell: solo 25 and over; Walsh: groups; Osbourne: solo 16-25). The judges then chose 12 acts each, and then eliminated 7 of these, and re-interviewed the other 5 at their house, before choosing three acts to go through to the live shows.

The show was hosted by Kate Thornton and labelled as the UK's biggest ever talent search, as it was the first contest to have no upper age limit, and to allow both solo singers and groups to compete. As with many other ITV programs the main show was shown first on ITV1 with The Xtra Factor, a companion show looking behind the scenes, was shown on ITV2.

There were two live shows on each Saturday evening. The format for the first five weeks was that each act would perform once in the first show, after which the public voted for the act that they wanted to remain in the show. In the results show, the two acts with the fewest votes were revealed. They then had to sing again before the judges decided who was eliminated. The format changed in the sixth week; each act performed twice in the first show (with the judges offering their opinions after the second songs), and reprised one of their songs in the results show. The act with the lowest number of votes was eliminated at the end of the second show, with the judges no longer having a say in who left.

A second series of The X Factor is planned; however, judge Sharon Osbourne may be axed after a outburst at winner Steve Brookstein [1]. The X Factor (Australia) began screening in February 2005 on Network Ten. The judges are Mark Holden (Australian Idol judge), Kate Ceberano (singer), and John Reid (a Scottish events manager). Daniel MacPherson (from the soap opera Neighbours and British police drama The Bill) is the show's host.

Solo singer Steve Brookstein was voted winner of The X Factor in the tense final of the ITV show.

Steve Brookstein X Factor winner

The 35-year-old pub singer beat quartet G4 to win a £1m recording contract, with bookmakers beforehand saying the race was too close to call. Steve had been coached through the series by pop guru Simon Cowell. He had to take flak from Sharon Osbourne

The emotion of winning overcame Steve as he struggled to get through his final performance, a rendition of Phil Collins' Against All Odds. The show has seen its fair share of arguing between the panel of celebrity judges with Sharon Osbourne and Simon Cowell often bickering.

Osbourne, wife of rock star Ozzy, did not hold back in her criticism of Steve in the final show, calling him a fake who was too confident. Louis Walsh, who mentored G4, also got into verbal rows with his fellow judges - mostly Simon.

The format for the show varied slightly from previous ITV talent shows Popstars and Pop Idol in that older performers, groups and individuals were allowed to compete.

G4 missed out on recording contract

The X Factor will return for a second series after ITV announced last week it had been re-commissioned.

A US version is also planned on the back of its UK success.

FINALISTS:

Under 25s

Cassie Compton, 17
Roberta Howett, 23
Tabby Callaghan, 23

Solo 25 and over

Rowetta Satchell, 38
Steve Brookstein, 35
Verity Keays, 50

Vocal Groups

2 To Go (Peter Jones (24), Emma Paine (23))
G4 (Mathew Stiff (24), Jonathon Ansell (22), Michael Christie (23), Ben Thapa (22))
Voices With Soul (Grace, Hildia, and Corene)

Results Summary

Orange indicates elimination Green indicates win

Date	Bottom Two
October 23	Roberta	Voices With Soul
October 30	2 To Go	Verity
November 6	2 To Go	Voices With Soul
November 13	G4	Voices With Soul
November 20	Cassie	Tabby
November 27	Rowetta	N/A
December 4	Tabby	N/A
December 11	G4	Steve

Show Details

Live Show: October 23

Order	Artist	Song (original artists)
1	Voices With Soul	"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (Diana Ross)	Bottom Two
2	Verity	"I Will Always Love You" (Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston)
3	Roberta	"Superstar" (Carpenters)	Eliminated
4	2 To Go	"Don't Know Much" (Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville)
5	Steve	"When A Man Loves A Woman" (Percy Sledge)
6	Cassie	"Alfie" (Cilla Black)
7	G4	"Everybody Hurts" (R.E.M.)
8	Rowetta	"You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" (Dusty Springfield)
9	Tabby	"You Really Got Me" (The Kinks)

Live Show: October 30

Order	Artist	Song (original artists)
1	Rowetta	"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (U2)
2	2 To Go	"Always" (Atlantic Starr)	Bottom Two
3	Cassie	"Without You" (Mariah Carey)
4	Verity	"Wind Beneath My Wings" (Bette Midler)	Eliminated
5	G4	"Don't Look Back In Anger" (Oasis)
6	Tabby	"My Oh My" (Slade)
7	Steve	"If You Don't Know Me By Now" (Harold Melvin, Simply Red)
8	Voices With Soul	"You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin)

Live Show: November 6

Order	Artist	Song (original artists)
1	Tabby	"Addicted to Love" (Robert Palmer)
2	Voices with Soul	"Bridge Over Troubled Water" (Simon and Garfunkel)	Bottom Two
3	Steve	"Smile" (Nat King Cole)
4	2 To Go	"I've Had The Time Of My Life" (Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, from the film Dirty Dancing)	Eliminated
5	Cassie	"I Say a Little Prayer" (Aretha Franklin)
6	Rowetta	"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" (Judy Garland)
7	G4	"Baby One More Time" (Britney Spears)

Live Show: November 13

Order	Artist	Song (original artists)
1	G4	"Circle Of Life" (Elton John)	Bottom Two
2	Rowetta	"MacArthur Park" (Richard Harris / Donna Summer)
3	Tabby	"Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" (Aerosmith)
4	Voices With Soul	"Lady Marmalade" (LaBelle)	Eliminated
5	Cassie	"Hero" (Mariah Carey)
6	Steve	"Help Me Make It Through The Night" (Gladys Knight)

Live Show: November 20

Order	Artist	Song (original artists)
1	Steve	"Let's Stay Together" (Al Green)
2	Cassie	"All By Myself" (Eric Carmen / Céline Dion)	Eliminated
3	G4	"My Way" (Paul Anka / Frank Sinatra)
4	Tabby	"Sweet Child Of Mine" (Guns N' Roses)	Bottom Two
5	Rowetta	"Somewhere" (from the musical West Side Story)

Live Show: November 27

Order	Artist	Song (original artists)
1	Rowetta	"River Deep, Mountain High" (Ike & Tina Turner)	Eliminated
2	G4	"You'll Never Walk Alone" (Rodgers & Hammerstein)
3	Steve	"I Get The Sweetest Feeling" * (Jackie Wilson)
4	Tabby	"More Than Words" (Extreme)
5	Rowetta	"When You Tell Me that You Love Me" * (Diana Ross)	Eliminated
6	G4	"Somebody To Love" * (Queen)
7	Steve	"If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time" (R Kelly)
8	Tabby	"Living On A Prayer" * (Bon Jovi)

* repeated in the second show

Live Show: December 4

Order	Artist	Song (original artists)
1	Tabby	"(Pride) In The Name Of Love" * ( U2)	Eliminated
2	Steve	"Have I Told You Lately" * (Rod Stewart)
3	G4	"O Holy Night" (traditional)
4	Tabby	"Sailing" (Rod Stewart)	Eliminated
5	Steve	"Greatest Love Of All" (Whitney Houston)
6	G4	"Bohemian Rhapsody" * (Queen)

* repeated in second show

Live Final: December 11

Order	Artist	Song (original artists)
1	Steve	"Higher And Higher" (Jackie Wilson)	Winner
2	G4	"Nessun Dorma" (Puccini)
3	Steve	"Smile" (Nat King Cole)	Winner
4	G4	"Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen)
5	Steve	"Against All Odds" * (Phil Collins)	Winner
6	G4	"Creep" (Radiohead)

* repeated in second show

Controversy

The series was controversial from the beginning. Tabloid reports claimed that the show was fixed, after it emerged that Louis Walsh had allegedly cheated and tried to help a band that he used to manage get through to the final stages of the show. Footage of Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne coaching contestants to argue back to the judges was also being sold over the Internet to the highest bidder. Simon Fuller, the creator of Pop Idol, claimed that the format was a rip-off of his own show, and filed a law suit against Simon Cowell, despite the fact that he is a judge on both shows.

LINKS

X Factor show gets second series 26 Nov 04 | TV and Radio

X Factor edges Dancing in ratings 24 Oct 04 | TV and Radio

Dance show ratings shuffle ahead 15 Nov 04 | TV and Radio