X Factor UK S13E01 – The Auditions

The big X is back!

Hey! It’s the end of August and it’s time for a new season of X Factor to start. We’ve reached season 13!

This year, The X Factor is primarily courting the older generations as TPTB brought back the original X Factor judges: Simon Cowell (56), Sharon Osbourne (63) and Louis Walsh (64). The 4th seat on the panel went to Nicole Scherzinger (38). This judging panel is considerably older than last year’s panel. I guess TPTB are hoping courting the pensioners will help raise the show’s ratings. I don’t know. In a way I’m excited to see the original three judges back together, but I wish they at least found somebody new to be the 4th judge. I’m not a big fan of Nicole Scherzinger. She was a fine judge and mentor on season 9, but she lost her mojo by season 10. Overall I’m just not happy that Simon simply rehired three former judges.

Also, host Dermot O’Leary is back. He is a great host, but his return isn’t helping the impression of staleness.

Check out the original three judges from the first episode of X Factor UK’s first season:


How to watch X Factor UK from outside the UK?

You can watch X Factor live, online. ITV streams the show through the ITV Player. However, ITV blocks viewers from outside of the UK. To get around that, you need to use VPN connection. If Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is your preferred browser, install Hola extension and set them to UK server. Then open the ITV Player, make a free acounnt and pick the right channel. The player will ask you for a ZIP code Find an active UK ZIP code HERE. Make sure you have the cookies enabled. You can also try to find a working ITV stream on MyiPlayer.com, TVPC.com or FilmON.com.


The X Factor airs tonight at 8:00pm BST (9:00pm CEST, 3:00pm EDT, 12:00am PDT) on ITV 1 (90min).


We start the season with a video of children watching various past contestants compete and even win the X Factor. Then we see those kids grow up and come to audition for season 13.

Next, Dermot is back and he is walking us through the various stages of the show. Then the judges arrive to the auditions in their limos.

Yes Lad (Joel, Cian, Sonny, Lewis and Luke, aged 16-21, from North West) – They want to be the next big pop boy band from North West. The sing Justin Timberlake’s latest hit “Can’t Stop the Feeling”. Louis likes them. Sharon thinks they are likable, but thinks they need a lead singer. Nicole thinks they are cute. Simon thinks it was a good audition. 4 YESes.

Zak Daven (41, secority guard) – Brings a CD for Simon, titled “Impossibly Possible”. It’s pretty clear this guy is deluded. Joke audition, no doubt. He performs a piano ballad and it’s terrible. 4 Nos. Simon really hates his music.

Samantha Lavery (16, Durham) – She brings her grandfather to her audition. He performed for the Queen Mother as a chid! She sings Ellie Goulding’s song “Explosions”. She has a big voice. All 4 judges like her. ONLY 16! 4 YESes.

Christian Burrows (19, VIP nightclub supervisor from Bolton) – He had two bothers and 3 sisters. He wants to make it big and provide for the family. He first sings John Denver’s “Take Me Home”. He plays guitar, his voice isn’t the best and he doesn’t have much stage presence. We learn Christian wants to be like Ed Sheeran. Simon says Ed is all about the songs and Christian says he writes songs, too. He then performs an original song “Thunder Buddy”. That goes over better. But still, on the show he won’t be able to perform an original every week or constantly impersonate Ed Sheeran. He makes Nicole cry. The judges seem moved and they all put him through.

James Wilson (34, joiner from Leeds) – He lives in a lives in a caravan in the Yorkshire dale. He has trouble learning due to dyslexia. He is very nervous before his audition, worried to mess up the words. He sings Ray LaMontagne’s “Joleen” and messes up the words. He has a decent pop/rock voice. First he gets some bad comments from the judges for being nervous, but then he gets 4 YESes. He is a very likable guy, if he gets to the live shows, he could be dangerous for the win.

Mrs O misses the Edinbourgh auditions.

Richard Chen (25, factory engineer) – He plays guitar and sings “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” terribly. It’s a no from the judges, but Simon wants him to go to the factory and suggest to produce rice pudding.

Nicole impersonates Britney Spears and Shakira. Simon “sings” some opera.

Caitlyn Vanbeck (18, student from Edinbourgh)- She was bullied for her singing in the past. Her audition song is Kelly Clarkson’s “Piece by Piece”. She is pretty good, I think she sounds a lot like Kelly. She auditioned for the show last year, but wasn’t shown. Perhaps she was “saved” for this season since they already had a chosen one in Louisa. Simon tells Caitlyn about Kelly’s audition 15 years ago. She is through.

Ryan Lawrie (20, from Coatbridge in Scotland) – He sings The Vamps’ song “Cecilia”. Nicole thinks he is a natural, Louis thinks he is good. Simon hates the song choice, but thinks he is good. 3 YESes.

Melissa Pedro (27, primary school teacher from Newcastle). She is a married mother of two sons. Husband works offshore for 7 months in a year. She sings Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”. She gets 3 YESes. We then see her tell the kids in her class that she got all the YESes.

Louis Elkes (Essex, works in Top Shop) – He sings “When I Grow Up” by The Pussycat Dolls and dances . Louis admires his commitment, Nicole loved it, Sharon says something nice. Simon says NO, the other three put him through.

Anna Georgette Gilford aka Honey G (35, from Harrow, London) – She says she is a “genuine urban artist” and a “real deal”, like Jay Z and Nicki Minaj. She is trying really hard to be hip and urban, but she fails. Her audition song is Missy Elliot’s “Work It”. Simon hates it, but Nicole and Sharon are totally into it. Louis is trying to get it. Simon says she shouldn’t be doing that. The other three put her through. Simon says his fellow judges are crazy.

The X Factor is back tomorrow.


‘It was beautiful’: X Factor hopeful Christian Burrows reduces judges to tears with emotional tribute to his dead brother
It wouldn’t be the X Factor without an emotional back story.

And the judges teared up when 19-year-old Christian Burrows performed his own song, ‘Thunder Buddy’.

Written in memory of his brother who died when he was young, the song began with the heartfelt lyrics, ‘I would do anything to be just two-years-old again. Imagine what we could’ve done what we could’ve been.’
Read more: Daily Mail

‘I’m the real deal’: X Factor rapper Honey G who infuriated Simon Cowell says she’s no Ali G fake
She’s the ‘real deal’ rapper who infuriated Simon Cowell by making it through the opening round of the new series of The X Factor.

But the millions of viewers who saw Honey G in her baseball cap, ripped jeans and shades on last night’s show will be stunned to discover the self-styled ‘genuine urban artist’ was privately educated and comes from a highly privileged background.

Despite proclaiming on the show, ‘I am a genuine urban artist and urban music is about being real. I’m not any Tom, Dick, or Harry, I am the real deal’, Honey G’s real name is Anna Georgette Gilford.
Read more: Daily Mail

X Factor hopeful Samantha Lavery, 16, blows judges away with her harmonious rendition of Ellie Goulding’s Explosions
Saturday will see season 13’s opening episode of hit talent show The X Factor.

And the quality of this year’s talent looks to be a high as ever, judging by footage of 16-year-old schoolgirl Samantha Lavery’ audition.

In a preview clip released on Friday, the talented teenager is seen blowing judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Nicole Scherzinger away with her rendition of Ellie Goulding’s Explosions.
Read more: Daily Mail

‘We’re the ones nobody remembers?’: Nicole Scherzinger turns a blind eye as Simon Cowell throws shade at The Pussycat Dolls during the X Factor
He’s not afraid of taking a cheeky potshot from time to time.

And Simon Cowell had Nicole Scherzinger’s former Pussycat Dolls bandmates in his sights during the first episode of the new series of the X Factor, on Saturday night.

With Sharon Osbourne missing from the panel, Louis Walsh playfully suggested he, Nicole and Simon were ‘like the Pussycat Dolls’.
Read more: Daily Mail

About Mateja Praznik 1060 Articles
I recently graduated from the Faculty of Law in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In my free time I like to read books, watch TV and listen to music. I'm also a huge cat lover. I cover X Factor UK for MJsBigBlog.com.