The X Factor 2017: Everything you need to know, from who the judges are to what changes there are this year
Here's all your questions answered about series 14 of the ITV singing show
The X Factor is just around the corner and - signalling the rapid slide towards Christmas - will be returning to our TV screens very soon.
Here's everything you need to know about series 14 of The X Factor:
When is The X Factor back on TV?
The X Factor's return has been confirmed for Saturday September 2 at 8pm on ITV.
Who are The X Factor judges?
The panel hasn't changed since last year, so we're seeing a return for Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger, Sharon Osbourne and - of course - Louis Walsh.
However there will be a bit of a Britain's Got Talent feel for some of the auditions after ITV confirmed that Sharon had to pull out of auditions in Edinburgh due to a back injury following surgery earlier this year, and was replaced by BGT's Alesha Dixon.
The same foursome made up the panel of judges in 2016 after the previous year saw a rather polarising line-up of Simon, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora.
Who is the presenter?
Dermot O'Leary is back again, too! Hooray! Really, there's no-one else who can do this job is there?
Where were the X Factor auditions held this year?
Alongside the regular spots like Manchester, London and Edinburgh, The X Factor's closed-room auditions also inexplicably went to Thorpe Park this year. Why? Well, why not? If someone doesn't sing Life is a Rollercoaster, we're going to be hugely disappointed.
Is The Xtra Factor coming back?
Sadly not. Rylan Clark-Neal and Matt Edmondson were the final hosts of the spin-off show last year before it was axed by ITV2.
Despite running for 12 years, it was dropped to favour more online content via ITV's website, YouTube and social media accounts.
An ITV spokesperson told RadioTimes.com at the time: "We have taken the decision to move away from a linear switchover show, and instead focus our efforts on our digital platforms."
Are there any format changes this year?
The only change we know for sure is that last year's derided jukebox - which "randomly" selected appropriate themes for the next week - has been scrapped.
According to The Sun, Cowell announced at X Factor auditions in Wembley: "All these crazy things we used to do with themes have gone, no more jukeboxes, none of that rubbish this year.
"The public are smart enough to know what’s real, that’s what we are focusing on this year."
The X Factor returns to ITV this autumn.
