X FACTOR -NEW SERIES starts Sat/Sun this weekend. And it's all change!

[Raahh]

Ok- we say every year we won't watch.

Then we do.

Granted it is usually the thread that keeps us going. Please don't leave me talking to myself

This year we have the return of Cheryl, and thankfully bye bye to Sharon. Shitsinger will be missed for her batty Nicole-isms. Chezza-Fezza-Vezza, as she is now known, was never as funny. And 'so-long' to Gary. We started off fancying him, and by the end we couldn't remember why.

One of the things that will put me off is Mel B. Couldn't stand her as a guest judge. She might be the reason I finally kick the habit

The minimum age has been reduced to 14 - they have tried this before, and it didn't work. They were 'too young. (so why bother letting them be in it then??) Wandie Liam auditioned at 14, and came back at 16 though.

Will there be ARENAS???

Can we wait?

yes we can

I like PUGS man. Only, the stylist will (despite beards being 'in' will have him clean shaven in a wrap dress quick as winking).

Bit too much warble though.

Linzi from Girl Thing was terrible.

Poor woman. She mustn't have realised Autotune was the fifth member of the group.

Well- til next week then!

I love X factor especially Simon and Cheryl - hate MelB - Louis can take him or leave him. Look I know this is a light hearted thread and I haven't read it all but wonder about a few things and would be interested o hear what others think.

It's not live obviously so presumably the winner has already been chosen? How is it that nothing gets leaked.........?

The judges can't possibly see all those people. I think they get seen by some other panel and then they send really good ones, really awful ones (good tele and yes I love that too.....) and a few "maybes" to the proper judges. What do you think?

Something funny going on as often people are "picked up" out of the queue and given some air time and then they always get shown - and the bloke who worked in a call centre (forget his name) - why did they film him in the call centre before he auditioned.........?

Maybe it's just me being cynical.

Only the auditions judges' houses bit isn't live- the last 10 weeks or are live, so the winner will not be announced til mid December.

There are all sorts of things that go on in the back ground, before we see the acts. 2-3 years ago, I think, someone came on an spilled the beans. It was obvious it's all a fix (theoretically up to lie stage)- it was funny to read just how much of one.

There have been spoilers as to who gets which group and who gets through to 'lives' - but I not going there...

11 years on, I still love watching, however fixed it is.

And if you've never read it, you need to read 'Chart Throb' by Ben Elton. It's a few years old- but for a work of fiction, it's very astute

Raahh, serious kudos for a one-woman run through of the show

It's starting!!