X Factor: The Band is set to be girls vs boys as judges Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger will battle it out in the new series.
Simon, 60, and Nicole, 41, are returning to judge the programme which starts tonight and concludes on Sunday.
With the X Factor’s track record of creating globally successful bands including One Direction, Little Mix and Fifth Harmony, the new series is bidding to create the next group in just a matter of weeks.
Simon and Nicole will be joined by a host of star-studded guests from the music industry.
(Image: nicolescherzinger/Instagram)
These include singers Leona Lewis and Ella Eyre, as well as super-producer Naughty Boy.
The show will see hopefuls audition in Simon’s office at Sony HQ where they try out in front of the music mogul, Pussycat Dolls star Nicole, and as a panel of advisors.
Those who make it through this stage then face the next big challenge – arena auditions in front of thousands in Birmingham.
Simon and Nicole are joined for this stage by guest judge Leona Lewis, who returns to the show she won in 2006 – albeit more than 30million record sales later.
(Image: Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment)
Host Dermot O’Leary said he can’t wait for the hotly anticipated series to begin this week.
He said: “In previous years, you’ve seen the judges put individual singers in a group – usually with their decision making and reasoning off camera, but this time people will get to see the process take place.
“The judges will select girls and boys to form new bands just like they did with One Direction and Little Mix and then both will go head to head to be crowned the winning group with a live arena finale in Birmingham.”
Louis Walsh isn’t taking part as a judge despite being involved with X Factor: Celebrity.
(Image: ITV)
He reportedly turned down Simon’s offer to be an adviser on the upcoming series.
A source said: “Louis had a fantastic time on X Factor: Celebrity and was confident he would be back for The Band.
“He obviously has a lot of experience working with bands such as Westlife.
“But Simon had other ideas. He felt it would make more sense to have him mentoring the boys and Nicole looking after the girls. Louis was offered a role as an adviser.”
The TV mole added to The Sun On Sunday: “But it soon became clear there was no real job, so he turned the offer down.”
