Wannabe pop stars across the country are preparing to brave the panel of judges and the British public and stake their claim to the winner’s title. Excitingly, this time round there’s a new line up of judges. Familiar face Louis Walsh is joined by the multi-million selling artists, songwriters and pop masterminds that are Gary Barlow, Kelly Rowland and Tulisa Conostavlos. As per, the quartet will be handing out their judgement on contestants within the following categories: male soloists aged 16-28, female soloists 16-28 years, over 28s and groups. The X Factor stalwart, Dermot O’Leary will be hosting for the fifth year running and elsewhere, Olly Murs, who was runner-up in 2009, and Caroline Flack, former presenter of ‘I’m a Celebrity! Get me out of Here! Now’ will be taking care of business over on The Xtra Factor. Once again, the auditions took place in front of live audiences throughout the UK, from thousands and thousands of applications. Each contestant needs three yeses to pass their audition; not two yeses and ‘I think you’d be good in a boyband’ from Louis – it’s three yeses every time. Those who survive the audition phase then graduate to bootcamp, where they are put through their paces and mercilessly whittled down, until 32 acts remain. Each judge is then assigned a category to mentor and it’s off to the judges’ houses. Eight acts go to each house, but only three will return. The live show stage of the competition begins in October, as each week we lose the act with the fewest public votes. In the final, three acts will battle it out, until one is crowned winner of The X Factor.

The six-chair challenge continues in the second of three boot-camp shows, in which the hopefuls battle it out for one of six places at the judges' house stage.

In the first of three boot camps editions, the six-chair challenge returns. Simon, Louis, Mel B, and Cheryl must decide on the final six acts they will take to the judges' houses stage. Making the decisions are Simon (overs), Cheryl (girls), Mel B (boys) and Louis (groups).

Having impressed the judges in the audition room, the aspiring pop stars now have the more daunting challenge of captivating a huge audience at Wembley Arena, as Simon, Cheryl, Mel B, and Louis make their final selections for boot camp.

Having proved themselves in front of the judges, the hopefuls must now perform for an audience of almost 5,000 as the Wembley Arena auditions continue.

Simon Cowell returns to the judging panel; another batch of singers and groups face the judges and a packed Wembley arena.

Simon Cowell returns to the judging panel in the eleventh season; the first round of arena auditions begin.

The fourth set of hopefuls audition in front of the judges in a closed room enviroment hoping to gain a place in the next phase of the competition where they will have to perform at Wembley Arena in front of a live audience.

The third set of hopefuls audition in front of the judges in a closed room enviroment hoping to gain a place in the next phase of the competition where they will have to perform at Wembley Arena in front of a live audience.

The second set of hopefuls audition in front of the judges in a closed room enviroment hoping to gain a place in the next phase of the competition where they will have to perform at Wembley Arena in front of a live audience. Stevi Richie, Linzi Martin, Chloe Thwala, Helen Fulthorpe, Michelle Lawson, Only The Young, Concept, Oceane Guyot, Jummy Cheun, Jan Chichorz, and Andrea Faustini are amongst those hoping to impress tonight.

The first set of hopefuls audition in front of the judges in a closed room enviroment hoping to gain a place in the next phase of the competition. Those hoping to impress include Chloe Jasmine, Blonde Electric, and Reece Bibby.