[Jack_]

Okay, so I think most are agreed after the show's steady decline this series and last, the show is in need of some sort of revamp. With series ten being the last in the latest contract that was signed, and it potentially being the last series, what needs to be done to ensure that the show either goes out with a bang, or is given a chance to survive going forward?

Here's my ideas:

It's time to bring back a former judge, clearly the current panel isn't as popular as the old(er) ones were with the British public, and so perhaps a familiar face might give ex-viewers an incentive to return. Now...Simon would obviously be top of many people's lists (including mine), but as X Factor USA has now been renewed for a third season, it's looking unlikely.

Dannii, whilst a good judge, didn't particularly set the world alight - and I don't see what bringing her back would offer. Cheryl's the difficult one - clearly most people regard her as one of the show's saving graces (and let's be honest I don't think it's any coincidence that while she was on the show figures rose and remained high and steady, and then dropped when she left...yes there were other factors, but I'd consider her a big factor). But like Dannii, she didn't and doesn't have much to offer.

I think Sharon is the right choice if you ask me. I didn't think she was particularly popular apart from on the forums, but her appearance at Judges' Houses again this year had her trending on Twitter (along with Cheryl) with many people they'd like to see her return and miss her. This along with her unpredictability, tendency to cause drama and controversy, and seeming want to return herself - all points to one thing - bring back Sharon.

Louis is integral to the show. Like it or lump it he's part of the furniture, and if Sharon were to return he'd have someone to bounce off like he did with Simon.

Nicole has surprisingly worked well, a massive improvement on her stint on the US version and so I'd keep her. Gary, as I've said before - is the next best thing to Simon. Blunt, straight to the point, honest, credible, and at times amusing. Tulisa on the other hand seems to have lost interest this year and whilst I liked her last time around, she hasn't really contributed anything of worth and so I think Sharon should replace her.

Gary - Nicole - Sharon - Louis

That is a panel with massive potential, IMO.

AUDITIONS:

It's time to cut down the audition weeks. Five/six weeks is too many and I become very bored of them very quickly, and I think most people are the same. Ideally I'd also return to the old conference room format as opposed to the arenas but that's never going to happen.

Four weeks of audition shows (like The Voice), two episodes each weekend, one on Saturday, one on Sunday.

BOOTCAMP & JUDGES HOUSES

These can remain the same, as for me Judges' Houses remains one of the best parts of the show. All I ask is that the categories are shuffled a bit more fairly and for once Louis isn't given the Groups or the Overs.

I'd go with:

Gary - Groups
Nicole - Girls
Sharon - Overs
Louis - Boys

LIVE SHOWS:

Increase these to 12 weeks as opposed to 10 (they'll be two extra weeks from dropping two weeks of auditions).

After each judge picks three acts to progress to the live shows, all twelve rejects who were sent home at Judges' Houses perform in the first week's live show which is dubbed the 'Wildcard Show'. Instead of the judges offering up a choice of four, the public gets to choose one act from the whole of the twelve sent home to make up the final 13.

This leaves 11 weeks of live shows, one act leaves every week, no double eliminations needed for 3 in the final...perfect.

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I know this is long and no one's probably read it...but, thoughts? And your own suggestions?

[Locke.]

They need to cut it down a bit, it goes on for too long. Doesn't need to be as short as The Voice but it could do with being about 4 or 5 shows less.

[Jack_]

The live shows are the most popular so that's why I suggested increasing them and cutting the auditions to four weeks (but eight shows) as four weeks worked pretty well on The Voice.

[Vicky.]

As much as I like Nicole..I want it to go back to being 3 judges. And my choice would be Louis, Sharon and Simon.

I want the old audition format back, no audience. I feel they iunfluence the judges too much. eg. if you just sing a popular song, no matter how bad/good you are, they will go mad and start booing anything negative that gets said about you generally.

No more manufactured groups. Only people that come as a group can be put in the groups category. This would never happen though due to the success of one direction. I just dont think its fair on the real groups when they are continually pushed aside for a 'supergroup' developed at judges houses/bootcamp or whatever they call it.

And less ****ing ads on the main show

Guest performers MUST sing live or they dont go on. Stupid having them mime when the show is all about live singing.

[Maia]

Stop making pathetic decisions for a start

I was actually really impressed at the auditions stage this year at the amount of raw talent they had...Just shocked at how much we've had filtered out in favour of the same old useless/generic acts we've already seen before. This is a talent show, so they should be nurturing *talent*.

There's loads of ways the show should be revamped, but so much so and so much down a path of actually having credibility and common sense that it would just never happen anyway.

[Doogle]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

As much as I like Nicole..I want it to go back to being 3 judges. And my choice would be Louis, Sharon and Simon.

I want the old audition format back, no audience. I feel they iunfluence the judges too much. eg. if you just sing a popular song, no matter how bad/good you are, they will go mad and start booing anything negative that gets said about you generally.

No more manufactured groups. Only people that come as a group can be put in the groups category. This would never happen though due to the success of one direction. I just dont think its fair on the real groups when they are continually pushed aside for a 'supergroup' developed at judges houses/bootcamp or whatever they call it.

And less ****ing ads on the main show

Guest performers MUST sing live or they dont go on. Stupid having them mime when the show is all about live singing.

This so much.

It'll never happen but I miss how it used to be. I was fine with the changes because they were mainly gradual but looking back at the days before the audience at auditions, it was so much better. Auditions have been boring and nothing compares to ones like these:

Youtube video

Youtube video

Youtube video

Also your last point about guest performers singing live is such a good point... it's basically telling them "don't worry, after the show you'll never use your vocals on stage anyway"

[Maia]

Oh and the old auditions format is a must...fail to understand why they got rid of that in the first place.

[GypsyGoth]

There should be a lion on the stage as they sing.

[Princess]

I can see Gary leaving and he can back to his manband then.

[Me. I Am Salman]

-Auditions without the audience because it would diffrentiate it from all the other talent shows
-Bringing back Simon as the lack of his presence is evident
-Getting rid of Tulisa because she takes away the credibility of the judging panel
-Stop making 'controversial' decisions because it doesn't bring in more viewers it drives them away
-Forking out more for better guest performers because they have mostly been dreadful this year
-Better variety of acts - shouldn't be more than one boyband for example - to maintain interest and appeal to a wider range of viewers
-Stop trying to make the auditions like TOWIE - no justification needed

[Jordan.]

There's only one person who can return and save this dying show

Spoiler:

Konnie Huq of course

Youtube video

[Me. I Am Salman]

What Jordan said tbqfh

[Matt]

Two words:

Shirlena Johnson

[bigbryan]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

As much as I like Nicole..I want it to go back to being 3 judges. And my choice would be Louis, Sharon and Simon.

I want the old audition format back, no audience. I feel they iunfluence the judges too much. eg. if you just sing a popular song, no matter how bad/good you are, they will go mad and start booing anything negative that gets said about you generally.

No more manufactured groups. Only people that come as a group can be put in the groups category. This would never happen though due to the success of one direction. I just dont think its fair on the real groups when they are continually pushed aside for a 'supergroup' developed at judges houses/bootcamp or whatever they call it.

And less ****ing ads on the main show

Guest performers MUST sing live or they dont go on. Stupid having them mime when the show is all about live singing.

yep, that is probably what they need to do, go back to the old format like it was 5+ years ago, though there was some very good auditions in recent years well, with the stage format.

olly murs, danyl johnson, jamie archer, were some good x factor auditions on the stage, but since then maybe it has not worked as well.

one option (though they would never do it) is to rotate between the two formats so one year have people audition in a room before the judges and the following year have people audition on the stage like set up so you get the best of both worlds that way.

by using the old format one year and the new format another year, like on rotate, though i do not think the x factor would ever consider such a move.

[Marcus.]

change the panal

[bigbryan]

Originally Posted by Doogle

This so much.

It'll never happen but I miss how it used to be. I was fine with the changes because they were mainly gradual but looking back at the days before the audience at auditions, it was so much better. Auditions have been boring and nothing compares to ones like these:

Youtube video

Youtube video

Youtube video

Also your last point about guest performers singing live is such a good point... it's basically telling them "don't worry, after the show you'll never use your vocals on stage anyway"

i think if you watch the usa x factor they just don't go for that "old" style, they seem to want to make it all really hyped up, and kind of fake as well as much as possible, so it will be the same with the uk x factor.

so it will probably just be the x factor going along, with changes that are not big changes, and the show, might continue to lose viewers.

i think it was more fun in the early days because it was less produced and formulated, now everything is over produced.

[MeMyselfAndI]

If it went back to atleast attempting to be a talent contest.
It started doing terrible when it became an over the top entertainment show.

[King Gizzard]

replace tulisa or just get rid of her, bring back simon, drastically improve result show guests

that simple

[Apple202]

yes because tulisa is the sole reason of the show's demise

[MeMyselfAndI]

Tulisa was terrible this year

[Apple202]

OK so what they should do, is change it and rename it 'The Mix Factor'
Judges would be Jesy Nelson, Leigh Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards, ratings would undoubtedly soar.

[MeMyselfAndI]

Ratings would be below 1m, Leona proved to be a great judge last year

[King Gizzard]

Not saying she is the sole reason, but she has next to no musical credibility and is mardy faced 90% of the time

[MeMyselfAndI]

Even Gary said the contestants were more interested on what Leona said than all of the judges put together.

[Apple202]

Gary is by far the worst judge but people just like him because of Take That and because he's OK looking