The X Factor UK reportedly cutting live shows, novelty acts (potentially)
So what can you expect to see? A big part of that has to do with the show eliminating the live shows, or at least some of them so that there are fewer episodes in which not enough happens. This to us is the biggest error, given that these are the episodes where you really get to know the contestants. We’d personally abandon bootcamp, feature a quicker means to get to Judges’ Houses, and have more live shows since this is where viewers really get to know the singers better. This is what enables them to be stars after the fact.
As for some other changes, The Sun reports that the plan is to do some auditions at amusement park Thorpe Park to appeal to some different prospective contestants, and to also try and minimize the presence of novelty acts to boost the show’s credibility. After Honey G made it far this past season, there was a perception that the entire show was a joke that catered more to cheesy headlines than trying to find a legitimate star.
Here is what a source told the aforementioned publication on the subject:
“Ratings plummeted and Simon [Cowell] knew a drastic revamp was needed. The Saturday night show became so tedious as there was rarely any drama which an eviction would bring.
“ITV believes transforming it is the right decision. It means all singers will perform on both Saturday and Sunday evenings, with acts being eliminated both nights. They are doing the Thorpe Park auditions early on too, because producers think the unconventional location will create some funny footage.”
Could any of this work?
It’s possible, but it is also equally possible that the show is focusing on the wrong things. We’ve felt like the problem with The X Factor, especially in comparison to Britain’s Got Talent, is that it’s not all that fun to watch. Everything is so brooding and serious, and there has to be a way to keep the stakes of the show while also establishing more of the lighthearted tone that is there with Britain’s Got Talent, a show that has kept the bulk of its viewership over the years. Give audiences a reason to smile and to enjoy the show as a family. It is, after all, a show. Nothing is anywhere near as life and death as it’s made out to be at times.
New episodes of the singing show premiere later this summer, and we’ll have some time from there to figure out just what the end result of some of these changes really are.
For now, tell us what you want to see in terms of X Factor changes, and whether or not you think any of these will work, in the attached comments.
Meanwhile, head over here to secure some other updates right now when it comes to the show. (Photo: ITV.)