The only major set change this year appears to be The Xtra Factor studio, which has shrunk significantly. After the great set for BGMT, it seems a bit of a let down and Caroline even mentioned it.
Caroline is very much the lead presenter, with Matt limited to the social network bits and a few audience interviews. For the lives, he seems to have been slotted into the comedy role, more like Russell Kane/Rob Beckett on I'm A Celeb, rather than the second presenter role like Olly was.
He was getting slagged off big style on Saturday but I think that was a bit harsh IMO - he did a decent enough job but I do think splitting them for so much of the show wasn't in his favour.
They seemed to have picked up on the lack of seating on Sunday with some stools used under the X. I wonder if they will dig out the old perspex bar table and stick it there with the stools.
This new X Factor Greatest Hits album that Louis was flogging on Paul O'Grady appears to be using the old X Factor logo. Deliberate or an oversight I wonder?
Ireland rights aren't part of the UTV-ITV deal, which only covers programmes actually made by ITV Studios. That said its likely UTV will target them (and any other ITV rights that come on the market) when they next come up of for renewal.