'X Factor': Sharon Osbourne Helps Boost Ratings By 500K Viewers

'X Factor': The Ratings Are In...
X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne arrives at the ICC, Birmingham.
X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne arrives at the ICC, Birmingham.
PA

The return of Sharon Osbourne to 'The X Factor' has proved to be a hit with viewers - with an extra 500,000 tuning in for the start of this year's series compared to last year.

An average of 9.2million viewers- peaking at 10.3million - tuned in to see Mrs. O make her comeback to the judging panel alongside Gary Barlow, Nicole Scherzinger and Louis Walsh.

As well as the return of Sharon, the show's format has had a shake-up with contestants now having to audition twice - once in front of just the judges and then in front of an audience of 4,000.

The first episodes saw prison officer Sam Bailey and Greggs bakery worker Hannah Barrett wowing the judges and audience alike as they stormed through to the Bootcamp stage of the competition.

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