| The X Factor UK (Series 1) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Series | 1 |
| Broadcast from | 4 September 2004 – 11 December 2004 |
| Judges | Simon Cowell Sharon Osbourne Louis Walsh |
| Presenters | Kate Thornton Ben Shephard |
| Network | ITV ITV2 |
| Number of finalists | 9 |
| Winner | Steve Brookstein |
| Runner-up | G4 |
| Notable returnees | 4Tune (2), Chenai Zinyuku (2) |
| Ratings | 7.4 millions |
| Chronology | |
| Next | Series 2 |
Series 1 of The X Factor premiered on September 4, 2004 and concluded on December 11, 2004 on ITV.
The series was won by Steve Brookstein, with Cowell as the winning mentor. Brookstein received a recording contract with BMG and went on to have minor chart success, with runners-up G4 achieving two platinum albums before splitting up in 2007.
It was watched by an average of 7.4 million viewers, making it the least-viewed series until Series 13.
Production
The judging panel consisted of Irish music manager Louis Walsh, music manager and television personality Sharon Osbourne and label head Simon Cowell, who conceived the idea to create a new talent show with a broader range of auditionees to its predecessor Pop Idol.
Kate Thornton presented the show on ITV, whilst Ben Shephard presented spin-off show The Xtra Factor on ITV2.
Twists/Changes
Auditions: The audition age for this series was 16 and older and unlike its predecessor, groups could also audition. Auditions were held in Dublin, Newcastle, London, Leeds, Birmingham and Glasgow. Live Shows: In Week 6, each act performed twice in the first show (with the judges offering their opinions after the second songs), and reprised one of their songs in the results show. The act with the fewest public votes was eliminated at the end of the second show, with the judges no longer having a say in who left.
Finalists
| Contestant | Category | Finish | Elimination | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X Factor 2005 Live Tour | ||||
|
Roberta Howett 23, Dublin, Ireland |
16-24s | 9th week one |
Majority vote |
|
Verity Keays 51, Grimsby, Lincolnshire |
Over 25s | 8th week two |
Majority vote |
|
2 to Go 23-24, Notts |
Groups | 7th week three |
Majority vote |
|
Voices with Soul 25-42, Luton |
Groups | 6th week four |
Majority vote |
|
Cassie Compton 17, North London |
16-24s | 5th week five |
Majority vote |
|
Rowetta Satchell 38, Manchester |
Over 25s | 4th week six |
Fewest public votes |
|
Tabby Callaghan 23, Sligo, Ireland |
16-24s | 3rd week seven |
Fewest public votes |
|
G4 22-24, London |
Groups | Runners-up week eight |
Fewest public votes |
|
Steve Brookstein 35, London |
Over 25s | Winner week eight |
Most public votes |
Selection process
Auditions
See: List of The X Factor auditionees (series 1)
Prior to the audition phase, advertisements appeared on ITV, in newspapers, and trade magazines, promising that the new show would encourage groups, and while the emphasis was on singing, would welcome those who played instruments and wrote their own songs. Thus the show would differentiate itself from its predecessor, Pop Idol.
Auditions were held in Dublin, Newcastle, London, Leeds, Birmingham and Glasgow.
Bootcamp
See: Bootcamp (series 1)
After the initial auditions, each judge was randomly allocated a category:
- Simon Cowell: Over 25s
- Sharon Osbourne: 16-24s
- Louis Walsh: Groups
Each judge chose twelve acts from their category to go through to round two of bootcamp. After bootcamp, each judge selected five acts to progress to "judges' homes".
Judges' Houses
See: Judges' Houses (series 1)
| Judge | Category | Location | Guest mentor(s) | Contestants eliminated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowell | Over 25s | London | Annie Skates, Sinitta | Odis Palmer, Lloyd Wade |
| Osbourne | 16-24s | Buckinghamshire | Mark Hudson, Terry Longden, Jack Osbourne | Tom Cranmer, Andy Steed |
| Walsh | Groups | Dublin | Linda Martin, Faye Sawyer, David Laudat | 4Tune, Advance |
Live Shows
Results Summary
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Ratings
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Controversies
It was reported in tabloid newspapers that the show's audition process was unfair after Walsh was accused of cheating. He was thought to have advised the group Co-Ed on things such as song choices, which caused controversy after it was revealed that he had actually previously managed Co-Ed after they appeared on the Irish version of Popstars in 2001. Around the same time, footage of Cowell and Osbourne coaching contestants to argue back to the judges was being auctioned over the Internet.
Prior to the first live show, Osbourne accused Cowell of "rigging" the show by editing footage to make the contestants in his category more appealing to viewers. Osbourne attracted criticism again following the final in December 2004 when she was forced to make an apology after attracting what Cowell referred to as "record complaints" over an outburst by Osbourne in which she criticised eventual winner Steve Brookstein. This left her place on the show uncertain, although she returned for the second series in 2005.
Despite finishing as runners-up, G4 have since referred to The X Factor as "just panto".
Trivia
- Both the winning act and runner-up performed different potential winner's singles. This would not happen again until the 2010 series.
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