The X Factor

Just over a year after he quit ‘The X Factor’, Olly Murs has committed the egregious pop star sin of betrayal of Simon Cowell, announcing that he’s set to become a judge on the next series of ‘The Voice UK’.

Murs will be taking up the spinning chair previously occupied by the departing Gavin Rossdale, and will appear when the show returns on ITV for its seventh series in early 2018. He’ll be alongside Sir Tom Jones, Jennifer Hudson and the ever-present will.i.am on the judging panel, while Emma Willis will return as the host.

“I’m absolutely buzzing about being a coach on ‘The Voice UK’ and can’t wait to sit in the big red chair alongside will, Jennifer and Tom,” 33 year old Murs said in a statement on Wednesday (October 11th) announcing his participation on the singing contest.

Continue reading: Olly Murs Confirms He Is Joining 'The Voice UK' Judging Panel

This year’s edition of ‘The X Factor’ may prove to be Sharon Osbourne’s last, as she’s suggested that she’s preparing to retire by the end of the year, according to a new interview this week.

The 64 year old former reality star and music mogul told The Sun on Thursday (August 24th) that she had given herself a five-year time frame in which to carry on working before forcing herself to retire, in order to retain her dignity.

Instead, she’s planning on enjoying her retirement with her husband, Black Sabbath star Ozzy Osbourne, with whom she recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary.

Continue reading: Sharon Osbourne Considering Retiring From Showbiz

Sharon Osbourne has been replaced by Alesha Dixon at auditions for the upcoming series of ‘The X Factor’, after she was forced to pull out of work commitments due to back pain.

Dixon has only recently finished her regular stint on the judging panel of fellow ITV show ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, but was drafted in for ‘The X Factor’ auditions this week after Sharon flew back to Los Angeles in order to seek treatment for the “recurring” problem with her back.

Sharon Osbourne pictured in October 2016

Continue reading: Sharon Osbourne Forced To Miss 'The X Factor' Auditions Because Of Back Pain

Clean Bandit have held on to the number one spot on the UK singles chart again this week, despite facing some stiff competition.

‘Rockabye’ logged its sixth week on top of the chart on Friday, holding off One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson and ‘x factor’ winner Matt Terry.

Louis Tomlinson’s debut solo single entered the chart at number three

Continue reading: Louis Tomlinson And Matt Terry Fail To Knock Clean Bandit Off Number One Spot

Simon Cowell certainly seems to be paying the price for his smoking habit. The ‘X-Factor’ boss reportedly has to cough up £100 every time he lights up during filming of the ITV series, thanks to a rule stating anyone smoking in the building has to pay a £100 fine.

Simon Cowell has to pay a hefty fine for smoking at the ‘X-Factor’ studios.

The Sunday Mirror reports that Cowell enjoys his expensive smokes during advert breaks on the live show. 'Over the course of a series we're talking about literally thousands of pounds,’ a source told the newspaper.

Continue reading: Simon Cowell Has To Pay £100 Per Cigarette For Smoking At 'X-Factor' Studios

Comic actor Matt Berry possesses one of the most distinctive voices in the British media at the moment, but he’s revealed that he had absolutely no interest in taking over one of the most high-profile voiceover roles in the industry – that of ‘The X Factor’ announcer.

41 year old Berry, who is about to return to TV screens with the series of his Channel 4 comedy ‘Toast of London’ in which he plays a voiceover actor, told Digital Spy in an interview that he wouldn’t have been interested in taking the place of Peter Dickson on the show when his brief break was announced earlier this year.

Matt Berry was considered for the 'X Factor' voiceover job

Continue reading: Matt Berry "Never" Considered Taking 'The X Factor' Voiceover Role

Caroline Flack, co-host of ‘The X Factor’, may miss out on presenting the first of the current series’ live shows because she’s struggling to shake off a bout of the flu.

A source told The Sun [via the Mirror] on Wednesday (October 28th) that Flack was bed-ridden and may not recover in time to host this weekend’s first live shows, leaving co-presenter Olly Murs to do so by himself.

“She hasn’t been feeling well this week at all, and the timing couldn’t be worse, with the first live performances this weekend,” the source revealed. “She has been resting at home and doing everything she possibly can to recover in time to make it on stage with Olly on Saturday night.”

Continue reading: Caroline Flack May Miss The First 'X Factor' Live Show With Flu

‘The X Factor’ has been hit with more controversy after one of its contestants, Tom Bleasby, sensationally quit the talent show on Sunday night as scenes were broadcast of him being axed, only to be restored as the crowd reacted negatively to his departure.

The 19 year old from Leeds, who was being mentored by new judge Nick Grimshaw, was shown being replaced during the ‘six chair challenge’ on Sunday night’s show (October 11th). Though he ended up making the cut, Bleasby tweeted “You are literally watching on TV the worst experience of my life” as it was being broadcast.

Sources say that Bleasby told producers on Friday that he didn’t feel confident that he could cope with the pressure of the competition, with one telling the Mirror: “he didn't think he could progress vocally and in terms of his confidence.”

Continue reading: 'X Factor' Contestant Tom Bleasby Sensationally Quits Despite Succeeding In The Six Chair Challenge

ITV has announced some pretty major names from the pop world as guests for the judges’ houses stage of ‘The X Factor’ over the next few weeks, the biggest of which is former alumnus of the show Louis Tomlinson who’ll be assisting Simon Cowell.

23 year old Tomlinson, who finished in third place on ‘The X Factor’ with One Direction back in 2010, will be helping Cowell choose which singers from the “overs” category will be going through to the live shows later in the series. Tomlinson will be replacing Cowell’s regular aide Sinitta in the chair, and ends speculation linking former judge Louis Walsh with the role.

The newcomers to the judging panel, Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora, will be joined by ‘Uptown Funk!’ hitmaker Mark Ronson and American pop star Meghan Trainor respectively.

Continue reading: Louis Tomlinson Among The 'X Factor' Guests For Judges' Houses

Olly Murs’ professional life is as healthy as it ever was, presenting the new series of ‘The X Factor’ on ITV alongside Caroline Flack and his music career being reactivated in the near future, but behind the scenes the pop star is apparently heartbroken after his three-year relationship with his girlfriend, Francesca Thomas, suddenly came to an end last week.

A report in The Sun on Sunday (September 27th) indicates that Murs, 31, and his 26 year old property developer girlfriend called it a day at some point last week, shortly after enjoying a quick romantic getaway together.

A source close to Murs said: “The split has just happened and it is very raw for Olly, he still feels numb.” It’s thought that the break-up wasn’t acrimonious, but that the pair had simply drifted apart over time, exacerbated by his busy work schedule.

Continue reading: Olly Murs "Heartbroken" After Splitting With Long-Term Girlfriend Francesca Thomas