The X Factor (Arabic TV series)

The X Factor Arabia, originally aired on March 26, 2006, with the title XSeer Al Najah (meaning Elixir or Essence of Success) is the Arab version of The X Factor. The Arabic-language version of the program also created by Simon Cowell has a similar format to the British version, in that there are judges who each have a team of contestants to mentor and compete with each other for the X Factor title. The 14-episode first series was broadcast in 22 Arabic-speaking countries. In its debut, it was known as being one of the most watched programs on television and was produced and supported by Rotana, one of the largest production companies in the Arab World. The winner of XSeer Al Najah earned a chance to sign with Rotana. However, with the continuing success of the rival pan-Arab series Star Academy on Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC), XSeer All Najah lost most of its pan-Arab appeal and was discontinued after season 2. In 2023, season 5 was released.

The X Factor
Also known as	MBC The X Factor
Created by	Simon Cowell
Presented by	Nathalie Maamary (2006) Joelle Rahme (2006–2007) Yosra El Lozy (2013) Bassel Alzaro (2013–2015) Daniella Rahme (2015) Wael Mansour (2015) Samer al-Masry (2018) Rami Radwan (2018) Maryam Said (2018)
Judges	Nelly (2006) Khaled El Sheikh (2006–07) Michel Elefteriades (2006–07) Anoushka (2007) Carole Samaha (2013) Wael Kfoury (2013) Hussain Al Jasmi (2013) Elissa (2013–2015) Ragheb Alama (2015)(2023) Donia Samir Ghanem (2015–2018) Saber Rebai (2018) Najwa Karam (2018) Majid Al Mohandis (2018) Angham (2023)
Country of origin	Arab World
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	38
Production
Producers	Rotana CBC SYCOtv MBC INMedia Plus Future Media Company Imagic Group Syco Entertainment FremantleMedia
Running time	60–120 minutes
Original release
Network	LBC, Rotana (2006–2007) CBC (2013) MBC1 (2015–present)
Release	26 March 2006 (2006-03-26) - 2007 (2007) 2013 (2013) - present (present)

In 2012, the Egyptian TV channel CBC announced that The X Factor Arabia would return in 2013 with four judges: Elissa, Carole Samaha, Wael Kfoury, and Hussain Al Jasmi. Despite its revamped format, The X Factor Arabia struggled against its rival show MBC's Arab Idol which aired at the same time slot as The X Factor.

In 2014, MBC brought the rights for the show from CBC, revamped its format and started producing season four. Only Elissa as a judge and Bassel Alzaro as a host were retained from season three during MBC's restructure of the show. The judges on MBC The X Factor are Ragheb Alama, Elissa and Donia Samir Ghanem. The first episode aired on 14 March 2015 on MBC1 and MBC Masr.

After a new hiatus of almost 2+1⁄2 years, the programme rights were purchased by the Dubai Channel and DMC and was relaunched at the end of 2017. The judges were Donia Samir Ghanem from season 4, the Lebanese Najwa Karam replacing Elissa, the Iraqi Majid Al Mohandis replacing Ragheb Alama and Tunisian Saber Rebai as a fourth addition judge. 2023 trat Ragheb Alama, Angham Und Abdallah Al Rowaished der Jury bei für die 5. Staffel.

Summary

In each series, each judge is allocated a category to mentor and chooses three acts to progress to the live finals. This table shows, for each series, which category each judge was allocated and which acts he or she put through to the live finals.

Key:

  – Winning judge/category. Winners are in bold, eliminated contestants in small font.

Season	Year	Nelly	Khaled El Sheikh	Michel Elefteriades
One	6 Feb - 15 May 2006	Over 25s Maher Raja Kessabny Sherine	16-24s Ahmad Dora Hala	Groups Guitarista Play Prova
Season	Year	Anoushka	Khaled El Sheikh	Michel Elefteriades
Two	29 May - 1 August 2007	16-24s Chamiyya C Hala Mahmoud Muhammad El Majzoub	Over 25s Bouchra Ikram Nisrine Ousama	Groups Nhas Safaa & Hanaa Trio Twins
Season	Year	Elissa	Carole Samaha	Wael Kfoury	Hussain Al Jasmi
Three	21 Feb 2013	Girls Imane Karkibou Salwa Anlouf Soumaya Turki	Groups Young Pharoz Maraya Band Les Bledards Ninja	Boys Adham Nabulsi Al Muntasser Billah Houssam Terchichi Ali Hamed	Over 25s Mohammed Rifi Ibrahim Abdel Adim Marwa Ahmed
Season	Year	Ragheb Alama	Elissa	Donia Samir Ghanem
Four	14 March 2015	Solo International Hamza Hawsawi Latoya Nedjim Mahtallah Maria Nadim	Solo Arabic Hind Ziadi Majdi Sharif Rania Jdidi Nada Khalil	Groups The5 GuitaNai Mounib Band Aves Band
Season	Year	Saber Rebai	Donia Samir Ghanem	Najwa Karam	Majid Al Mohandis
Five	2017–2018	Rabih al Nussaybi

Season 1 (2006)

Results summary

Colour key

  Act in team Nelly

  Act in team Khaled

  Act in team Michel

–	Act was in the bottom two and had to sing again in the final showdown
–	Act received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown)
–	Act received the most public votes

Weekly results per act

Act		Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Quarter-Final	Semi-Final	Final
	Raja	Safe	Safe	Bottom Two	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Winner
	Ahmed	Safe	Safe	Safe	Bottom Two	Bottom Two	Safe	Safe	Runner-up
	Guitarista	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	3rd	Eliminated (semi-final)
	Dora	Bottom Two	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	4th	Eliminated (quarter-final)
	Maher	Safe	Safe	Safe	Safe	Bottom Two	Eliminated (week 5)
	Play	Safe	Safe	Safe	Bottom Two	Eliminated (week 4)
	Hala	Safe	Bottom Two	Bottom Two	Eliminated (week 3)
	Prova	Safe	Bottom Two	Eliminated (week 2)
	Sherine	Bottom Two	Eliminated (week 1)
Final Showdown							No final showdown or judges' votes; results were based on public votes alone
Nelly's vote to eliminate (Groups)
Khaled's vote to eliminate (16-24s)
Michel's vote to eliminate (Over 25s)
Eliminated		Sherine 2 of 3 votes Majority	Prova 2 of 3 votes Majority	Hala 2 of 3 votes Majority	Play 2 of 3 votes Majority	Maher 2 of 3 votes Majority	Dora Public vote to save	Guitarista Public vote to save	Ahmed Public vote to win

Season 2 (2007)

Season 2 was won by Muhammad El Majzoub.

Season 3 (2013)

Colour key

–	Contestant was in the bottom two and had to sing again in the final showdown
–	Contestant received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown)
–	Contestant received the most public votes

Weekly results per contestant

Contestant	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10
										Round 1	Round 2
Mohammed Rifi	1st 24.66%	1st 23.42%	1st 25.44%	1st 33.08%	1st 32.03%	1st 33.50%	1st 31.18%	1st 35.11%	1st 46.16%	1st 61.16%	Winner
Ibrahim Abdel Adim	12th 1.36%	2nd 13.69%	6th 7.60%	7th 4.64%	5th 8.40%	4th 9.12%	3rd 15.22%	3rd 17.24%	2nd 19.62%	2nd 20.92%	Runner-Up
Adham Nabulsi	3rd 15.17%	5th 12.15%	3rd 14.64%	2nd 15.36%	2nd 21.12%	2nd 17.55%	2nd 18.34%	4th 15.12%	3rd 19.47%	3rd 17.39%	Eliminated
Young Pharoz	2nd 18.32%	6th 10.55%	5th 9.54%	4th 9.53%	4th 8.85%	3rd 13.12%	5th 13.46%	2nd 22.79%	4th 14.75%	Eliminated (week 9)
Imane Karkibou	5th 10.30%	3rd 13.63%	2nd 15.39%	5th 8.92%	7th 7.55%	7th 8.65%	4th 13.57%	5th 9.74%	Eliminated (week 8)
Salwa Anlouf	4th 13.17%	4th 12.52%	4th 11.06%	3rd 10.60%	3rd 10.00%	5th 9.05%	6th 8.23%	Eliminated (week 7)
Marwa Ahmed	8th 2.41%	7th 3.60%	7th 4.05%	6th 6.58%	6th 8.33%	6th 9.02%	Eliminated (week 6)
Maraya	7th 3.67%	9th 2.44%	9th 3.37%	8th 3.99%	8th 3.72%	Eliminated (week 5)
Al Muntasser Billah	11th 1.45%	10th 2.08%	10th 2.78%	9th 3.98%	Eliminated (week 4)
Houssam Terchichi	6th 5.24%	8th 2.86%	8th 3.81%	10th 3.31%	Eliminated (week 4)
Les Bledards Ninja	10th 1.56%	11th 1.72%	11th 2.32%	Eliminated (week 3)
Ali Hamed	9th 1.71%	12th 1.35%	Eliminated (week 2)
Soumaya Turki	13th 0.99%	Eliminated (week 1)
Final showdown	Soumaya Turki, Ibrahim Abdel Adim	Ali Hamed, Les Bledards Ninja	Les Bledards Ninja, Al Mountassir Billah	Al Mountassir Billah, Maraya	Maraya, Imane Karkibou	Imane Karkibou, Marwa Ahmed	Salwa Anlouf, Young Pharoz	Imane Karkibou, Adham Nabulsi	No final showdown or judges' votes; results were based on public votes alone
Samaha's vote to save	Ibrahim Abdel Adim	Les Bledards Ninja	Les Bledards Ninja	Maraya	Maraya	Imane Karkibou	Young Pharoz	Adham Nabulsi
Kfoury's vote to save	Ibrahim Abdel Adim	Ali Hamed	Al Mountassir Billah	Al Mountassir Billah	Imane Karkibou	Imane Karkibou	Young Pharoz	Adham Nabulsi
Elissa's vote to save	Soumaya Turki	Les Bledards Ninja	Al Mountassir Billah	Al Mountassir Billah	Imane Karkibou	Imane Karkibou	Salwa Anlouf	Imane Karkibou
Al Jasmi's vote to save	Ibrahim Abdel Adim	Les Bledards Ninja	Al Mountassir Billah	Maraya	Imane Karkibou	Marwa Ahmed	Young Pharoz	Adham Nabulsi

External links

• Official XSeer Al Najah website