Around this time every year, there’s a rumour or three about supposed changes that Simon Cowell is making to The X Factor in a bid to drum up interest in the once-thriving reality show.
These usually amount to being the tiniest tweaks to the format, given the main show has stayed more or less the same for the last decade or so – but this time around, Simon genuinely is shaking things up.
After last year’s series went off with a whimper, the music mogul is reinventing the show for 2019, putting the usual series on ice in favour of two star-studded versions – one featuring a host of former contestants and another with a line-up of singing celebrities.
Here’s everything you need to know about the latter...
When will Celebrity X Factor be airing?
As of yet, Simon Cowell is yet to confirm when we’ll be seeing the famous contestants making their musical debut, but given the regular X Factor series usually starts at the end of August or beginning of September, we presumably don’t have all that long to wait.
Simon previously told The Sun: “We haven’t exactly confirmed the dates or the order of the shows… [but] I think it’s going to be huge, it’s the best I’ve felt about this show in years.”
However, reports have suggested the celebrity version will be immediately followed by the All-Stars edition, which is said to be airing for a week’s worth of episodes.
Who will the judges be?
After last year’s ill-fated series, judges Louis Tomlinson, Robbie Williams and Ayda Field have all said goodbye to the show, leaving three vacant spots on the panel.
And we probably don’t need to tell you, Louis Walsh is back in one of them.
Speaking to the MailOnline, Simon has come crawling back again, with Louis now signing his name on the dotted line, while the panel has also been reduced to just three seats this time around.
It has been suggested the final empty chair will be filled by Nicole Scherzinger, who would be back for her third stint on the show.
However, reports have also claimed that Simon has eyed former Strictly Come Dancing star Louise Redknapp for the gig, although with rumours the All-Star series will see a different mix of people on the panel, it remains to be seen which (if any) series she might feature on.
Who will be presenting?
Dermot O’Leary has already confirmed that he’ll be back for the new series, though he admitted that even he isn’t sure of what’s in store for the actual show, telling Metro: “[I’m] back this year, yes. That’s as much as I know.”
Which celebrities are on the rumoured line-up?
It seems producers have reached far and wide in signing up contestants from around the world of entertainment industry for the new celebrity series.
Among those rumoured to be taking part include footballer-turned-actor Vinnie Jones, soap star Jacqueline Jossa and former Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole.
The Chase’s Jenny Ryan and Coronation Street actress Lucy Fallon are also tipped to be on the line-up, having both won the TV singing contests they previously appeared on, Let’s Sing And Dance For Comic Relief and All Star Musicals respectively.
Interestingly, a number of stars with singing experience have also been rumoured, including Glee star Kevin McHale, Love Actually’s Olivia Olson and TV talk show host Ricki Lake.
And it wouldn’t be X Factor without a few groups, would it?
This time around, groups made of rugby stars and former Love Island contestants are thought to be taking part, as were Gemma Collins and James “Arg” Argent prior to their recent break-up, though it remains to be seen whether either (or both) of them will be appearing now.
Has there been a celebrity version of X Factor before?
There actually has, but you’d be forgiven for forgetting it, as Simon Cowell has all but swept it under the rug.
X Factor: Battle Of The Stars aired for a week in 2006, similar to how Britain’s Got Talent works when the live shows roll round.
Celebrities who took part included Gillian McKeith, Chris Moyles, Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee among others, with former EastEnders star Lucy Benjamin eventually winning the show.
It was also memorable for a row involving judge Sharon Osbourne, who laid into celebrity contestant Rebecca Loos live on air, famously telling her to come back and sing “with her knickers on”.
What will the format be?
Again, this remains unconfirmed but The Sun has claimed that like the usual X Factor series, the upcoming celebrity version will have an auditions stage, which is being filmed at Simon’s mansion in LA.
Bootcamp has reportedly been axed, while the future of Judges Houses also remains uncertain.
When the winner is eventually crowned, Simon will reportedly offer them a deal with his Syco record label, the same prize which regular X Factor champions have received in past years.
What other changes have been made?
Simon Cowell has revealed that as well as doing over the show’s set, he’s made the curious decision to ditch the theme tune that X Factor has had since its inception in 2004.
“I can’t listen to that again,” he told The Sun. “You get into a habit with these things but it’s one of the three worst theme songs I’ve heard.
“I’m asking around LA to see if someone can write us something new. I’d like ‘X Factor’ to be like the Bond films and have a new theme every year.”
And what’s this about an All Stars version?
Yes, while there won’t be a regular series of X Factor in 2019, it’s already been confirmed that there’ll also be an All Stars version, in addition to the celebrity series.
Following the success of America’s Got Talent: The Champions (a British version of which is currently in the works), it’s been teased that a number of contestants from X Factor’s glory days will be returning to the show to compete for a second time.
Although there’s currently no confirmed line-up, Louis Walsh has teased that former winners Leona Lewis, Shayne Ward and Alexandra Burke will all be involved, while Jedward have also claimed they’ve been approached by producers.