The X Factor 2017: Everything you need to know

From the judges to the start date

It's not long now until The X Factor 2017 is back on our screens, with a new bunch of hopefuls keen to sing their hearts out for survival.

All sorts of rumours have been flying about, from new formats to the guests at judges houses, but we've sorted the speculation from the real stories to bring you all the key info on what the latest series has to offer.

Here's everything we know about The X Factor 2017 so far...

The official X Factor 2017 trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e3Onehk1Gc

The first trailer for this year's show is a combination of Derrmot's smooth voice over and the standout X Factor moments from the last 10 years. They're not giving too much away just yet, but it's still got us SERIOUSLY excited!

What's different in 2017?

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The nail-biting Six Chair Challenge has taken an even more sinister turn, with the mentors now being separated from their fellow judges whilst they make the difficult decision in whittling their twenty acts down to just six.

According to The Sun, Sharon was the first of the judges to take on the challenge with her group, and reportedly broke down in tears as she made the final decision...

The X Factor judges: Who's returning to the show?

The line up for The X Factor 2017 remains unchanged from last year, meaning that we can expect to see Sharon, Nicole and Louis join Simon back on the panel this Autumn. The gang have already been sharing snippets from filming on social media, and it looks like they're having a blast!

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Earlier this year, a source told The Sun that the reason behind Simon's decision was all down to the on-screen relationships between the four.

'The chemistry was perfect last year, so it's only natural to want to bring the same line-up together again,' the insider explained.

'It's usually hard to get people's schedules to align but for the first year it has worked out. The judges can't wait to get started and have already been gossiping behind the scenes.'

This will be the first time Simon's left the line up unchanged in seven years, infamously calling in Rita Ora and Nick Grimshaw in 2015 to shake things up.

But this time round, he's gone with the mantra of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it,' and the all-star panel will be back with a bang.

Simon Cowell

The man at the helm of the global phenomenon we know as The X Factor (and also pretty much every other talent show on TV), Simon has gone from the man we love to hate to one we simply - well - love!

As the man in charge, Simon's the one to allocate the groups to the judges, and has famously had ex-girlfriend Sinitta feature in his judges' houses segment on more than one occasion. Last year he mentored the girls' category for the first time, narrowly missing out on the top spot with his contestant Saara Aalto. Better luck this year, Simon!

Sharon Osbourne

We think Sharon is almost as great as the main man, having appeared on the panel from 2007 - 2009, and coming back on regular occasions ever since. She went on to win the competition with Sam Bailey in 2013, and made her eagerly anticipated return to the show last year, once again mentoring the over-25's.

Her chemistry with fellow female host Nicole is sizzling, and we can't wait to see this year's antics!

Nicole Scherzinger

The show's resident bombshell, Nicole is the A-list superstar of Pussycat Dolls fame, who catapulted James Arthur into the limelight with his 2012 win under her mentorship. In 2016 she found success with the boys' category once again, nabbing Matt Terry the top spot.

Louis Walsh

He's a series stalwart, sitting on the judges panel every single year, except 2015, when he was temporarily replaced by Nick Grimshaw. It's a running joke that Louis is always given the groups, on account of his stand-out successes of the 90s, Westlife and Boyzone. However, one of the biggest groups of the franchise, One Direction, were in fact mentored by Simon. Will this be the year for Louis?

Who is hosting The X Factor 2017?

Veteran host Dermot O'Leary will be back on the mike for The X Factor 2017, having fronted the show for eight years before taking a break in 2015, and then returning the following year.

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When is The X Factor 2017 on TV?

The air date for The X Factor 2017 hasn't yet been confirmed, but the show typically begins in late August, so there's not long to wait now!

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