How has the X-Factor stayed so popular?

[AB Asks]

The X-Factor claimed viewing figures of 11 million on Saturday and there have been suggestions it was because of the return of Louis Walsh. What do you think is the secret of the X-Factor's success? How has it remained so popular? Or does it do your head in and you'd rather it came off the screens?

[Neilzulu1]

Because we the British public like nothing more than to laugh and humiliate others.

[sunflower68]

I think it is the judges' sense of humour.
If we just watched the awful auditions with a voice-over, it wouldn't be the same. Watching the judges stifle their laughter makes it great.

[tiny e.a]

I find the auditions wholly uncomfortable viewing, I feel too sorry for the people who are being made fools of (even if they do bring it on themselves).

Don't know why it's so popular, really can not stand it, I get frustrated by the smug judges, the ridiculous contestents and their cringworthy tales of success in the face of adversity, while sad music plays in the background.

I suppose it's success is down to the great mass of people who lap that kind of cr@p up. People want success stories and happy endings and watching someone from auditions to finale perhaps makes them feel that they have had some part in the success.

[Pippa68]

I find it interesting to see that the show ends up being far more popular than the winners do.

I don't watch it much ~ in fact I am usually the one who only watches the final.

I have to agree with Neil, though. Many watch right from the beginning as they enjoy the car crash entertainment. I believe the show is popular right now as Dannii Minogue has joined the judges...hmmm?

[sunflower68]

Hmmm I prefer the auditions to the end part of the series! Maybe I am into car crash tv...

Tiny I hate to say it but your frustration over the judges, contestants, their cringeworthy tales of success makes me feel you know the show pretty well - you sure you are uncomfortable watching?? Sounds like you are 'lapping up the cr@p' with the rest of us! Just switch off.

[Dassie]

Because there's nothing else worth watching on the TV at that time?

[Octavius]

For the same reason knitting beside the gallows was popular in medieval England.

[Scarlett]

I am so bored with it now. It is exactly the same. There is no promise of a career at the end, no matter how talented they are. The whole programme has been americanised and edited to make it a lot more sensational than it is in real life. I am sure they did the "interviews" about that dance judge guy AFTER he left, when they had already decided to get Louis back. It has become really predictable.

[sunflower68]

Scarlett I agree, it is contrived in many ways, but nothing can diminish the reactions of the judges and the contestants, whether good or bad. N
othing is contrived or remotely fake about human nature and the behaviour of people; that is what fascinates me.

[andy-hughes]

The fact that the winner can no be openly touted as the 'Christmas Number One' illustrates the power of this show more than anything else.

The fact that the winner becomes a 'star' is a matter of fact, not possibility - it's sutaining a career when you are not in people's living rooms on a weekly basis that's the hard part -as so many of these people discover.

It is entirely possible to delude an audience that someone has far more talent than they actualy possess, by bolting on a 'personality' with clever editing.

Paul Potts was seen as a nice guy, singing 'Nessun Dorma' - result - stardom.

No - a doorbell could chime 'ND' and make it sound moving, that's the song not the singer.

The fact is, objectively, Paul Potts is an average singer who slids in and out of notes, rather than landing on them. Once his 'fat guy with bad teeth, but cute' image fades from the minds of the TV audience who bought his CD, he will sink without trace, because like the majority of reality stars, his talent is simply not strong enough.

The British love to 'adopt' their reality stars, but their attention span is is limited as their appetite is ovracious, so the treadmill that is shows like 'X Factor' rolls them out, shines them up, spits them out, sees them feted, then ignored, and starts again.

It's a licence to print money - wish I had thought of it!

[tiny e.a]

sunflower68, you have no need to hate making a judgement as long as you can accept when you have it wrong, which is the case here. Sadly, you can't help but see clips of the programme over the weeks it's on on other programmes and adverts for it. I have also seen bits at friends houses where it would be incredibly rude to 'just switch off' if they are watching it wouldn't it now?! If you enjoy the programme that's fine, but there's really no need to get offended and suggest that I secretly love the programme just because I have different opinions about it to you.

[Reverandfunk]

Panto Boy Quinn - I know lets do swing and badly, was a singer of karaoke standard and hopefully will be shot very soon.