X Factor News

There was a "real sense of excitement" at the latest round of X Factor auditions this morning, as hundreds of singing hopefuls formed a long queue in a bid to become the next big star.

Host Dermot O'Leary greeted eager wannabes and posed for photographs at the London auditions, where a large crowd had gathered in the sunshine from before 9am.

The presenter said he was as enthusiastic about the show - now in its tenth series - as ever, and believed it was all down to the new people he met every year.

"You've got a real sense of excitement. You meet people you've never met before and in all walks of life as well. There's so many characters - that's why I love it," he said.

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Pop mogul Simon Cowell has hinted that he could return as a judge on the X Factor.

The star has spent the past two years working on the US version, but said he is concerned about the recent ratings slump for the UK show.

Speaking to Hello! Magazine, he said: "It's been difficult the last two years not being on the show as I always had a great time and the last time that I did do it, it was such a brilliant year. So at some point of course I'm going to come back and do the show.”

Simon Cowell will return to our screens next month with the new series of Britain's Got Talent.

Read: Britain's Got Talent judges as you've never seen them before

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Singer and X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger spoke to Daybreak about life as an X Factor judge.

She said: "I'm a little crazy and a little bonkers, but you are all as well over here, so it works well."

The singer told presenters Lorraine Kelly and Aled Jones that she still kept in touch with the boys she mentored in the last series, "we're a family," she said.

Speaking about the show, she said she has not been asked back for the next series, but she would be open to any offers.

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The moonwalking pony in the hit advert for mobile phone company 3, was hand-picked in an X Factor style contest.

'Socks' was handpicked from hundreds of other horsey-hopefuls following a talent contest before undertaking two weeks worth of training.

He was also given a makeover, with Norwegian stylist Bjorn Larsen using hair extensions and hairspray to turn Socks into a, “cross between a young Rod Stewart and Limahl”.

The 60-second advert shows Socks moonwalking along a cliff to the 1987 Fleetwood Mac hit “Everywhere”, and has proved to be a hit on the internet with over three million views on YouTube.

Owner Mari Williamson told the Sun that she always knew Socks was a star.

The 37-year-old said, “Socks is not like any other Shetland pony, he’s unique. He’s a quirky character and a happy chappy”.

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Take That duo Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams could be reunited on ITV's X Factor judging panel, according to reports.

Television bosses want the duo to provide "fireworks" on the talent show and are planning on bringing back Nicole Scherzinger as a judge, The Sun reports.

The popstar pair fell out when Williams quit Take That in 1995 but have since made-up when the Angels and Rock DJ singer rejoined his bandmates in 2010 for a new album and string of sell-out concert dates.

A spokesman for the show said: "It's far too early to say anything about the judging panel for this year's X Factor."

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James Arthur, the winner of ITV's X Factor, has remained at number one in the charts this week despite tough competition from Will.i.am and Britney Spears.

The 24-year-old singer from Middlesbrough saw his debut song Impossible stay ahead of the American superstars singles despite close mid-week sales.

Impossible became the fastest-selling X Factor winner's single ever when it debuted at number one on December 16 and is now nearing a million sales.

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