The X Factor is an Australian television reality music competition that first aired in 2005. As of 2015, there have been seven seasons; one on Network Ten and six on the Seven Network. The final round of the competition features a number of solo singers and vocal groups: nine for season 1, twelve for seasons 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, and thirteen for season 6. A total of 94 acts have reached the finals of their seasons. Season three winner Reece Mastin is the most successful contestant from the show, having attained two top-five albums and three number-one singles, with nine platinum and three gold certifications.
During season 1, the contestants were split into three categories: 16-24s (soloists aged 16 to 24), Over 25s (soloists aged 25 and over) and Groups (including duos). Each category was mentored by Mark Holden (head judge), Kate Ceberano and John Reid. From season 2 onwards, the 16-24s category was split into separate male and female sections, making four categories in all: Boys, Girls, Over 25s and Groups. The judging panel was replaced by Guy Sebastian (head judge), Natalie Imbruglia, Ronan Keating and Kyle Sandilands who is the additional fourth judge. In season three, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Mel B joined the judging panel as replacements for Imbruglia and Sandilands. Dannii Minogue and Redfoo (head judge) replaced Mel B and Sebastian in season 5. In series 5, the over 25s were changed to over 24s, before being changed back to over 25s for series 6. Sebastian (head judge) returned in season 7 along with Chris Isaak and James Blunt to replace Redfoo, Bassingthwaighte and Keating. In season 8, boys and girls has been defunct and making the 14-21s to come back, the over 25s category was changed to over 22s. Mel B returned in 8 along with Iggy Azalea and Adam Lambert to replace Minogue, Issak and Blunt.
As of season 8, each five categories have won the show on at least one occasion, while six of the show's fifteen judges have had the winning act in their category at least once, with Sebastian and Keating winning twice, and Holden, Minogue, Isaak and Lambert winning once. The judges not to win were Reid, Cebrano, Imbruglia, Sandilands, Bassingthwaighte, Mel B, Redfoo, Blunt and Azalea with Bassingthwaighte placing runner-up in 2011 and 2014 (the first and the fourth of her four years on the panel), Reid, Imbruglia, Brown and Blunt placing runner-up in 2005, 2010, 2012 and 2015 respectively (their only season), Cebrano and Sandilands’ best performance having their contestant being the last eliminated in 2005 and 2010 respectively (their only season), Redfoo’s best performance having his contestant being the ninth eliminated in 2014 (the second of his two years on the panel) and Azalea’s best performance having her contestant being the third eliminated in 2016 (her only season).
Contestants
Key: – Winner – Runner-up – Disqualified
Name Season Category Mentor Finished The Brothership 1 Groups Mark Holden Jacob Butler 1 16-24s Kate Ceberano Russell Gooley 1 Over 25s John Reid Vincent Harder 1 16-24s Kate Ceberano Kaya 1 Groups Mark Holden Roslynn Mahe 1 Over 25s John Reid Gemma Purdy 1 16-24s Kate Ceberano Random 1 Groups Mark Holden Janie Shrapnel 1 Over 25s John Reid Sally Chatfield 2 Girls Natalie Imbruglia Altiyan Childs 2 Over 25s Ronan Keating Chris Doe 2 Boys Kyle Sandilands Amanda Grafanakis 2 Over 25s Ronan Keating Kharizma 2 Groups Guy Sebastian Andrew Lawson 2 Boys Kyle Sandilands Luke and Joel 2 Groups Guy Sebastian India-Rose Madderom 2 Girls Natalie Imbruglia Mahogany 2 Groups Guy Sebastian James McNally 2 Over 25s Ronan Keating Mitchell Smith 2 Boys Kyle Sandilands Hayley Teal 2 Girls Natalie Imbruglia Audio Vixen 3 Groups Ronan Keating Tyla Bertolli 3 Girls Mel B Mitchell Callaway 3 Over 25s Natalie Bassingthwaighte Cleo Howman 3 Over 25s Natalie Bassingthwaighte Reece Mastin 3 Boys Guy Sebastian Jacqui Newland 3 Girls Mel B Christina Parie 3 Girls Mel B Johnny Ruffo 3 Boys Guy Sebastian Declan Sykes 3 Boys Guy Sebastian Three Wishez 3 Groups Ronan Keating Andrew Wishart 3 Over 25s Natalie Bassingthwaighte Young Men Society 3 Groups Ronan Keating Josh Brookes 4 Boys Mel B The Collective 4 Groups Ronan Keating Bella Ferraro 4 Girls Natalie Bassingthwaighte Fortunate 4 Groups Ronan Keating Shiane Hawke 4 Girls Natalie Bassingthwaighte Samantha Jade 4 Over 25s Guy Sebastian Adil Memon 4 Boys Mel B Carmelo Munzone 4 Boys Mel B Jason Owen 4 Boys Mel B Justin Standley 4 Over 25s Guy Sebastian Angel Tupai 4 Girls Natalie Bassingthwaighte What About Tonight 4 Groups Ronan Keating Nathaniel Willemse 4 Over 25s Guy Sebastian Adira–Belle 5 Groups Natalie Bassingthwaighte Omar Dean 5 Boys Ronan Keating Joelle Hadjia 5 Girls Redfoo Taylor Henderson 5 Boys Ronan Keating Dami Im 5 Over 24s Dannii Minogue JTR 5 Groups Natalie Bassingthwaighte Ellie Lovegrove 5 Girls Redfoo Barry Southgate 5 Over 24s Dannii Minogue Third Degree 5 Groups Natalie Bassingthwaighte Jiordan Tolli 5 Girls Redfoo Cat Vas 5 Over 24s Dannii Minogue Jai Waetford 5 Boys Ronan Keating Brothers3 6 Groups Dannii Minogue Sydnee Carter 6 Girls Ronan Keating Reigan Derry 6 Over 25s Redfoo Jason Heerah 6 Over 25s Redfoo Adrien Nookadu 6 Boys Natalie Bassingthwaighte Rochelle Pitt 6 Over 25s Redfoo Marlisa Punzalan 6 Girls Ronan Keating Dean Ray 6 Boys Natalie Bassingthwaighte Caitlyn Shadbolt 6 Girls Ronan Keating Tee 6 Boys Natalie Bassingthwaighte Trill 6 Groups Dannii Minogue XOX 6 Groups Dannii Minogue Younger Than Yesterday 6 Groups Dannii Minogue Louise Adams 7 Over 25s James Blunt Michaela Baranov 7 Girls Dannii Minogue Big T 7 Boys Chris Isaak Natalie Conway 7 Over 25s James Blunt Jimmy Davis 7 Boys Chris Isaak Georgia Denton 7 Girls Dannii Minogue The Fisher Boys 7 Groups Guy Sebastian Dan Hamill 7 Over 25s James Blunt In Stereo 7 Groups Guy Sebastian Jess & Matt 7 Groups Guy Sebastian Mahalia Simpson 7 Girls Dannii Minogue Cyrus Villanueva 7 Boys Chris Isaak AYA 8 Groups Iggy Azelea Beatz 8 Underdogs Mel B Brentwood 8 Groups Iggy Azalea Isaiah Firebrace 8 14-21s Adam Lambert Amalia Foy 8 14-21s Adam Lambert Timmy Knowles 8 Over 22s Guy Sebastian Maddison Milewski 8 Underdogs Mel B Natalie Ong 8 14-21s Adam Lambert Chynna Taylor 8 Over 22s Guy Sebastian Time And Place 8 Groups Iggy Azelea Vlado 8 Underdogs Mel B Davey Woder 8 Over 22s Guy Sebastian
Notes
A Josh Brookes was disqualified when it was revealed that he "behaved in an inappropriate manner" on social media. He was later replaced by Carmelo Munzone.
References
External links The X Factor at Yahoo!7