The X Factor (UK TV series)

The X Factor is a British reality television music competition to find new singing talent, contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. Created by Simon Cowell, the show began in 2004 and has since aired annually from August/September until December. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's Thames (previously Talkback Thames) and Cowell's production company Syco TV. It is broadcast on the ITV network in the United Kingdom and simulcast on TV3 in Ireland. The "X Factor" refers to the undefinable "something" that makes for star quality.

The show is currently presented by Olly Murs and Caroline Flack. The series consists of auditions, bootcamp, judges' houses, several weeks of live shows, semi-finals and the final. After the show's success, it then became an international franchise following a similar format. The series has a spin-off behind-the-scenes show called The Xtra Factor, which airs directly after the main show on ITV2.

History

The X Factor was created by Sony Music A&R judge Simon Cowell as a replacement for Pop Idol. Cowell, who was a judge on Pop Idol, wished to launch a show to which he owned the television rights.Pop Idol's first series was massively successful, and while the second series was also successful, the viewing figures for its finale dropped. Some—including Cowell's fellow Pop Idol judge Pete Waterman— considered Michelle McManus an unworthy winner. In 2004, ITV announced a new show created by Cowell, with no involvement from Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller—The X Factor. The perceived similarity between the two shows later became the subject of a legal dispute.

Guy, Sharyn & Clint

Guy, Sharyn & Clint is a MediaWorks New Zealand brand, composed of personalities Guy Williams, Sharyn Casey and Clint Roberts. The trio host The Edge drive show The Edge Afternoons with Guy, Sharyn & Clint, Saturday show The Edge Fat 40 with Guy, Sharyn & Clint, and previously, Four television programme The Xtra Factor, a follow-up programme of the second New Zealand series of The X Factor.

Personalities

Guy Williams

Guy Williams is a New Zealand comedian and radio and television personality. His only previous work at The Edge was in December 2013, when he co-hosted the breakfast show with Sharyn Casey (and later, Clint Roberts) to fill in for Jay-Jay Mike & Dom. He also co-hosts TV3 satirical show Jono and Ben and narrated Come Dine with Me New Zealand.

Sharyn Casey

Sharyn Casey is a radio and television personality. After working in retail since dropping out of high school the age of 15, she started working in radio in 2004. She has worked for The Edge since 2006, when she won the "Quit Your Day Job" promotion. She also hosts The Music Lab on The Edge TV. Previously, she has co-hosted other radio shows on The Edge, as well as Four Live, the New Zealand version of Dancing with the Stars, and TV3's broadcast of the 2015 New Zealand Music Awards.