Now, bosses have revealed that the new panel will unite for the first time tomorrow, in a statement which reads: “We will now start auditions in Manchester on Wednesday and Thursday this week."
It’s not just the judging panel which has been given a shake-up this year, as the room auditions have been axed, along with the entire presenting team.
“I do think the panel lacks experience,” she said earlier this month. “I do think that Simon and Nick Grimshaw will have a laugh and have fun but I don't think [Nick] is a mentor... but he does know his music.”
Worst 'X Factor' Band Names
Addictiv Ladies (Series 2)(01 of10)
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Despite her inability to spell the word 'Addictiv', Fleur East of Addictiv Ladies later returned to 'The X Factor' nine years later as a solo artist. So, yes, that's why she looks so familiar... (credit:Rex/Ken McKay)
4Tune (Series 3)(02 of10)
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Do you get it? Because there are four of them. And they sing tunes. Brilliant. (credit:Rex/Ken McKay)
4Sure (Series 4)(03 of10)
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We're guessing a similar thought process went into naming 4Sure to naming 4Tune... (credit:Rex/Ken McKay)
Little Mix (Series 8)(04 of10)
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A name derived from the fact that Tulisa used to refer to them as her "little muffins".To us, they'll always just be Rhytmix. Still, the name has hardly held them back so far, has it? (credit:Rex/Ken McKay/Talkback Thames)
Stereo Kicks (Series 11)(05 of10)
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This is what happened when you draw two unrelated 'youth-based' terms out of a hat and name your band whatever comes out. Stereo Kicks could just as easily have been called 'Selfie Twerk' or 'Hollyoaks Software Update'. (credit:Thames TV/Syco/Corbis)
Girlband (Series 5)(06 of10)
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We wonder how long this imaginative name took to think of. (credit:Rex/Ken McKay/Talkback Thames)
2 To Go (Series 1)(07 of10)
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Probably best to not make the name of your group sound like you're ordering at a drive thru, yeah..? (credit:Rex/Ken McKay)
JLS (Series 5)(08 of10)
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Not the worst name in the world, until you realise it stands for 'Jack The Lad Swagger'. Good grief. (credit:Rex/Ken McKay)
Belle Amie (Series 7)(09 of10)
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A nice enough band name, it's just unfortunate that it's also the name of an Eastern European gay adult film company, isn't it? (credit:Rex/Ken McKay/Talkback Thames)
Overload Generation (Series 11)(10 of10)
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Well, at least it's a name they weren't stuck with for long, eh..? (credit:Thames TV/Syco/Corbis)