The X Factor 2018

If Strictly have a decent line up once again, it should be no problem for them to thrash X Factor in the ratings once again. There is now usually at 3 to 5 million viewer gap in the overnight ratings between the two shows.

I love how Louis Walsh tried to say it is all because Strictly have an older audience base. You simply can't use that as an argument for the ratings decline. 3 to 5 million gaping hole in viewers each week is not down to just older people watch it live, yes a little bit, but it does not cover all.

Louis chose to ignore the criticism of the show, and the flaws and weakness of a format which has been dying since 2012.

The X Factor has been one huge shark jump virtually since day one.

XF has typically done well with 16-34’s which I expect is keeping it alive.

I think it used to be the best rated ITV show for this demographic, until Love Island came along.

You do know Louis was just Simon's puppet, right?

The other problem is that because of the ratings tanking, the budget has been slashed and that's visible on screen. The interval acts for example last year were in the majority from the SyCo stable, although with 1D's members now all doing solo material you've filled five slots already. You used to get the BIG stars in for that, especially when the Sunday results show first launched. Even the arena final downsized (from Wembley to Excel Centre I think) and it showed on screen.

Yes - getting the likes of Beyonce and Paul McCartney seems a distant memory now.

Ideally the X Factor could do with being rested for a few years, and arguably should have been a few years ago. Resting programmes before bringing them back x years later seems to have been fairly successfully for Saturday Night Takeaway, Dancing on Ice, and potentially also Millionaire. It also for the programme to be brought up to date, and for 'tweaks' in series prior to resting to be undone/altered.

I think it's time this show was rested for good, not for a few years!

There is a core problem with X Factor in this day and age:

Winning a record deal isn't as big a deal as it used to be.

Compared to just a few years ago, the traditional route to fame and fortune was that you either had to get your demos in front of a major label or win a reality format. Nowadays, you can be successful on YouTube. You don't need a major label to get your music released. You or I could release a song quite easily and with some good social media work, bag the Christmas Number One or indeed just a Number One. Why waste time on a fake reality format?

Also, hardly anyone lasts that long...

Sam Bailey - Doing panto
Fleur East - Dropped after 2 singles
Ben Haenow - Dropped after what, one single?
Matt Terry - did Subeme La Radio and Sucker For You then got dropped
Saara Aalto - signed with Sony, didn't release anything, went to Warner, did Eurovision for Finland and managed to score even less than the UK. Has managed to get an album out mind you.

I am not stupid, of course he was.

Does anyone know will they continue to have a reduced live run like last year? 6 weeks only and that was it. In effect saying they know they will get thrashed by Strictly, so why waste the cash on the live shows.

Problem is Simon and ITV have a contract which has to be fulfilled which runs until 2020, so X Factor is here for another two years after this series. If ITV want to axe the show, they will have to pay millions to Simon for breach of contract I assume. That is why it is kept. Plus, they have bugger all to fill the autumn schedule with.