The X Factor 2018 judges line-up REVEALED

They're shaking things up for series 15

X Factor

by Ruby Norris |
Updated on

Love Island has taken over our every waking (and sleeping, tbh) thought, so you'll be forgiven for forgetting all about all the other amazing telly we've got coming our way this year.

Celebrity Big Brother is due to return to our screens imminently and, now we're kinda growing tired of this incessant heatwave, we're already thinking about the new series of The X Factor to see us through to Christmas. Who needs a social life anyway?

This year, X Factor bosses are really mixing things up with several major changes to the format of the show. We'll also see a pretty big shake up to the judging panel following Louis Walsh's decision to quit the show.

Robbie
©Shutterstock

There's been lots of speculation over who'll be joining Simon and now according to The Sun, it's been confirmed husband and wife duo Robbie Williams and Ayda Field, and One Direction superstar Louis Tomlinson have made the cut.

Louis Tomlinson
©Shutterstock

Sharon Osbourne will also be returning for the live shows, while Robbie will have to miss out on several weekends due to prior tour commitments.

The four judges are thought to be getting together for an X Factor press conference in London this week.

GALLERY: X Factor winners - where are they now?

Gallery

X Factor winners: where are they now - stacked

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CREDIT: ITV

Steve Brookstein, series one, 2004

Things went downhill super quickly after the high of winning the first ever series of The X Factor, and Steve's still bitter… even now, 12 years later. He's written a book about it called Getting Over The X. Come on now Steve, perhaps you should give it a read.These days he's more into childish rants on Twitter about, well, pretty much everything except making music. He did release an album in 2014, and just to show he's moved on he called it Forgotten Man. It didn't chart.

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CREDIT: ITV

Shayne Ward, series two, 2005

It's easy to forget Corrie's Aidan Connor is actually; Shayne Ward from The X Factor in a disguise. Alright, that should be: in a new job. It's still weird. He's smashing his new role and won Best Newcomer at the National Television Awards in January. Fast work.He's also been moving fast in his love life nad is dating former Hollyoaks star Sophie Austin,after the couple's romance blossomed in 2016 following some Twitter flirting. Cute.

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CREDIT: ITV

Leona Lewis, series three, 2006

You probably won't remember Leona Lewis as she hasn't done much since. Jokes. Leona's a superstar. A superstar that loves animals. A lot.She loves dogs. She released a single with Diane Warren called We Are All (Looking For Home) in support of a dog charity. She loves cats. Well, she's starring in Cats on Broadway which is kind of the same thing. But she really loves horses. The star has featured in Horse and Hound in the past, too.

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CREDIT: Instagram/Leon Jackson

Leon Jackson, series four, 2007

Soulful Scotsman Leon Jackson clinched the Christmas Number One in 2007 but faded fast and was dropped by the label shortly after. Nowadays his most notable achievements are his abs. He's been hard at work. They're good abs. Well done Leon.

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CREDIT: ITV

Alexandra Burke, series five, 2008

Alexandra Burke's winning single was a cover of Leonard Cohen's classic Hallelujah, which broke records on it's way to Number One. Hallelujah feels like a fitting introduction for the singer who's now taken the leading role of Deloris Van Cartier in Craig Revel-Horwood's new production of Sister Act in London's West End. She's still doing some shows of her own, is an ambassador for Slim Fast AND she's taking part in the 2017 series of Strictly Come Dancing.

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CREDIT: ITV

Joe McElderry, series six, 2009

In 2009 it was Joe McElderry who won The X Factor but it wasn't him who won the Christmas Number One. It was the anti-X-Factor campaign who scored the top slot with Rage Against The Machine's Killing In The Name Of. Chin up Joe, you've done alright. You've even sung for the Queen. He's currently singing in a touring version of Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat and doing charity cycle rides. Good lad.

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CREDIT: ITV

Matt Cardle, series seven, 2010

The handsome one with the guitar, Matt Cardle is building up to releasing his fourth studio album called Higher Power. He's still looking hot, still playing gigs, and even joined YolanDa Brown on a few of her shows this year.Scandal! In 2016 there was a massive lawsuit filed against none other than Ed Sheeran, claiming Sheeran's huge hit Photographs was a carbon copy of Cardle's Amazing. It turns out it was the songwriters who filed it, and Cardle's distanced himself… but it looks murky.

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CREDIT: Getty

Little Mix, series eight, 2011

Well, where to start with these ladies. Let's start with the music, cos that's what it's all about, right? The band are touring their fourth studio album on the Glory Days tour.

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CREDIT: ITV

Ben Haenow, series 11, 2014

We can almost do this as a tickbox list now. Christmas number one: tick. Record breaking sales figures: no tick. Duet with big name real celeb: tick (it was Kelly Clarkson). Album released: tick. Didn't make top twenty: tick. Dropped by Syco: tick.All that's left is the run in a West End show and a run at Butlins. Though he does seem delightfully loved-up with his dancer wife Jessica Jones.

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James Arthur, series nine, 2012

James Arthur has had a rocky road since winning the show - like so many of the winners – but he did seem to bring it on himself. After dropping a very dodgy tune with homophobic tones, iTunes offered refunds on his debut album and Syco dropped him.Then he released Say You Won't Let Go, Syco took him back and EVERYTHING changed. James is officially back, people.

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CREDIT: ITV

Sam Bailey, series 10, 2013

Bexley's Sam Bailey hit the Christmas number one slot with her winning single Skyscraper and toured with Queen Bey in the UK leg of her The Mrs Carter Show World Tour. Then, in what seems like a natural next step for The X Factor winners, she took a role in a popular West End musical. In this case it was Chicago.

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CREDIT: ITV

Louisa Johnson, series 12, 2015

2015's winner Louisa has had mixed success…her dreadful single charted the lowest of all the winners' singles of all of the time, only managing number 12 in the Christmas singles chart. Cripes.Her follow up Tears, with Clean Bandit, did much better by reaching number five, so it's swings and roundabouts. But we're not worried because a change of hair colour caused an Instagram storm in summer 2016 AND her two proper solo singles So Good and Best Behaviour have been bloody brilliant.

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CREDIT: Getty

Matt Terry, series 13, 2016

Matt Terry's the show's latest winner, going on to release Ed Sheeran-penned winner's single When Christmas Comes Around. He then teamed up with Enrique Iglesias and actual Sean Paul on the Spanglish remix of Subeme La Radio before releasing his proper debut single Sucker for You.Oh, and he made an appearance on Celebrity First Dates in support of Stand Up To Cancer. Fab.

In other X Factor news, it’s been reported that there might be a massive change to the show this year, and that the open auditions might be scrapped in favour of online applications.

According to the Daily Star, just 1,500 people turned up to auditon in London last year, while 30,000 applied online.

A source said: "The production team are claiming they have been hammering the video auditions and that is why turnout is so low.

"They also say that no one can be bothered to queue anymore and they don't want to sit around and wait all day.

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