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The X Factor

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"It sounded like the REAL THING" | Unforgettable Audition | X Factor UK

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J Star's Unforgettable Audition | The X Factor UK

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Jennifer Phillips risks Mary Mary's Shackles | Auditions Week 1 | The X Factor UK 2015

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Jess Folley's star quality shines with 'Survivor' | X Factor: The Band | Arena Auditions

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"She sings ABSOLUTELY from the heart and means every word" | Unforgettable Audition | X Factor UK

The X Factor is a British reality television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, the show began broadcasting on 4 September 2004 with 445 episodes broadcast over fifteen series as of 2 December 2018. The show is produced by Fremantle's Thames and Cowell's production company Syco Entertainment. It is broadcast on ITV in the UK and simulcast on Virgin Media One in Ireland. "X Factor" refers to the undefinable "something" that makes for star quality. The first three series were presented by Kate Thornton. Since series four, with the exception of series twelve, the show has been presented by Dermot O'Leary. The X Factor previously had a spin-off behind-the-scenes show called The Xtra Factor. This aired until 2016. It was replaced by an online spin-off show Xtra Bites exclusively on the ITV Hub. The main show was rested in 2019, with Cowell and ITV opting to broadcast The X Factor: Celebrity and The X Factor: The Band as mini-series instead. On 7 February 2020, it was announced that the show would be rested during 2020 and would return in 2021.