[Arneldo]

Simon Cowell will expand the X Factor live shows next year with 16 finalists, say reports.

The 50-year-old judge and SyCo boss also wants to host the 2010 final at Wembley Arena, according to the Daily Star.

"The minute you start assuming that the audience is very happy to see the same show again, you're dead," said Cowell.

Proposed changes include having 16 contestants reach the live show stages and switching the mentor system so that each judge gets an act from the four categories - boys, girls, groups and over-25s.

Cowell is also reportedly considering having a rotating fifth judge, with a different celebrity guest working with the panel each week.

The X Factor final begins on Saturday at 7.30pm on ITV1.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/xfactor/...2010-prog.html

[Tom4784]

He's nicked the Wembley idea from AI but still I don't think it'd be a bad move and more contestants means that more people's favourites will get through. I like the idea of seperate categories though and not everyone having the same. The Fifth judge is an intriguing idea, I'm guessing they'd only do the performance show though and not have any say in who goes.

[MissKittyFantastico]

All good ideas I reckon! Love the idea of mixing the mentors and the acts they get up and the rotating guest judge could be great!

[Arneldo]

16 finalists and a fifth judge could mean a new category? It would be about time they let bands auditions.

[Twilight]

Me likes these ideas

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Arneldo

16 finalists and a fifth judge could mean a new category? It would be about time they let bands auditions.

I dunno since the fifth judge would be ever changing I guess they'd be impartial. Plus I doubt they'd have a band Category, Simon Cowell would just lump 'em together with the groups under the same title.

[CaraRawr]

I like!

[Jords]

Sounds like its gonna get bigger and better, great ideas Mr Cowell

[Beastie]

Ooo sounds cool! Not sure about the rotating 5th judge though..

[xDramatick]

I really like these ideas!!

[Firewire]

Cooool

[Z]

Do bands not come under groups anyway? Journey South and those gimpy brothers who gave Scotland a band name?

All of those are good ideas though, I hope he goes with some of them, if not all!

[Billy]

Originally Posted by Arneldo

16 finalists and a fifth judge could mean a new category? It would be about time they let bands auditions.

No it wouldn't :P If each judge has an over, girl, boy and group that is 16.

[Fom]

5 judges is too much... but I like all the other ideas.

[Jack_]

Keep the mentoring system as it is, I couldn't give a **** whether it's unfair or judge's aren't impartial. It's not broke, so it doesn't need fixing. It's the best part of the show.

Final at Wembley Arena sounds good, although I'd just hope it would still work and seem like a TV show.

Not sure about 5 judges either, but if there are, it has to be one fixed judge + and the categories would have to be Groups, Boys, Girls, Males and Females (as suggested by thebeast).

[Tom]

4 judges is too many, 5 will be a disaster

I think this year is the peak of X Factor, I can't see it getting much bigger next year. And I don't think 16 acts will work that well unless we have about 4 or 5 double eliminations

We've had rumours of the final being at Wembley/O2 Arena/Albert Hall since 2007

['Conor]

NOOO that means its gonna go on for longer as if its not long enough already