About Us

The X Factor is a British television music talent show contested by aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions. It is broadcast on Saturday evenings on the ITV Network in the UK and on TV3 in the Republic of Ireland, with spin-off "behind-the-scenes" shows The Xtra Factor screened on ITV2 and TV3. The five series of the show to date have all aired from August/September through to December. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's talkbackTHAMES and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv and is currently sponsored by The Carphone Warehouse. The "X Factor" of the title refers to the undefinable "something" that makes for star quality.

The X Factor was devised as a replacement for the highly successful Pop Idol, which was put on indefinite hiatus after its second series, largely because Simon Cowell wished to launch a show that he owned the television rights to.