The X Factor judges will be jetting off around the globe later this year for Judges' Houses.

Advertisement

The annual field trip will see the four judges – Simon Cowell, Robbie Williams, Ayda Field and Louis Tomlinson – take the six chosen acts in their categories to glamorous and exotic locations around the world to be whittled down ahead of the live shows.

This year, the Six Chair Challenge will see one act for each judge given a 'Golden X' – a guaranteed place at Judges' Houses similar to the Golden Buzzer on Britain's Got Talent.

Here's everything else we know so far about Judges' Houses this year – from the guest stars to the irresistibly Instagrammable locations:

Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell (Getty)

Category: The Girls (Bella Penfold, Georgia Burgess, Maria Laroco, Molly Scott, Scarlett Lee, Shan)

Location: This year the acts will be jetting off to Simon's Malibu home.

Guest judge: There's not just one. This year Cowell is inviting a group of guest mentors into his house, including American Idol stars Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul.

Robbie Williams

Category: Groups (A STAR, LMA Choir, Misunderstood Panda and Burgundy, Sweet Sense, Vibe 5)

Location: Williams will take the groups to his LA home.

Guest judge: David Walliams. Really. The Britain's Got Talent judge will help Robbie sort through his remaining six acts.

Ayda Field

Category: Overs (Danny Tetley, Giovanni Spano, Janice Robinson, Louise Setara, Olatunji Yearwood, Ricky John)

Location: Los Angeles

Guest judges: Former X Factor winner Leona Lewis and American Idol star Adam Lambert.

Louis Tomlinson

Louis Tomlinson - The X Factor

Category: Boys (Anthony Russell, Armstrong Martins, Brendan Murray, Dalton Andre Harris, J-Sol, Thomas Pound)

Location: Ibiza

Guest judges: Fellow One Directioner Liam Payne and Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers.

Advertisement

Which acts are through to the Judges' Houses?

Each judge can take six acts through to the Six Chair Challenge, meaning a total of 24 acts will reach this round. You can see a full list of acts that made it through here.

Authors

Thomas LingDigital editor, BBC Science Focus

Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement