The Xtra Factor (British TV series)

Background and overview

The commissioning of The Xtra Factor was prompted by the success of Big Brother's Little Brother, a companion show for Big Brother on E4. The programme featured extra auditions, bootcamp performances, judges' houses performances, and behind-the-scenes footage. It sometimes included competitions and games with the judges and presenters. During live shows, it answered live video and phone calls for the judges and contestants, read out Facebook statuses and tweets, and showed contestants' emotional responses after judges' comments. A celebrity panel often gave opinions on the contestants.

Broadcast

The Xtra Factor usually aired on ITV2 directly after the ITV broadcast of The X Factor. From series 1 to 5 it aired once a week; from series 6, with the introduction of the Sunday results show, it aired twice a week during weeks with two episodes of The X Factor. In series 12, it initially aired after every show, then shifted to a Thursday live episode during the live shows. For series 13, it reverted to airing after each ITV broadcast, with the post-performance episode lasting 30 minutes. Up to the live shows, episodes were pre-recorded; during the live shows they were broadcast live from Fountain Studios. For series 13, The Xtra Factor became The Xtra Factor Live, airing live from The Hospital Club after pre-recorded X Factor shows, while live editions after live shows remained at Fountain Studios.

Presenters

Ben Shephard hosted until series 3. Fearne Cotton took over for series 4 only, then left for America. Holly Willoughby presented series 5, starting 9 August 2008. Konnie Huq hosted series 7 but departed in March 2011 due to work commitments.

Caroline Flack and Olly Murs were confirmed as co-presenters for series 8 on 31 May 2011; Murs only presented live shows in 2012 due to touring, with guest presenters like Jedward and Westlife helping during auditions. Murs did not return for series 10; Matt Richardson replaced him. Richardson did not return for series 11; Flack also left, and Sarah-Jane Crawford became presenter. Crawford did not return for a second series.

On 18 June 2015, Rochelle Humes and Melvin Odoom were confirmed as hosts. On 27 June 2016, Matt Edmondson was confirmed as host; on 1 July 2016, Rylan Clark-Neal was announced as co-host, and Roman Kemp as digital online presenter and social media reporter.

Spin-offs and specials

Early series included The Xtra Factor: The Aftermath, a mid-week spin-off following finalists, and The Xtra Factor: Xcess All Areas, a live show with interviews, games, and trips to contestants' homes that also revealed upcoming songs. Both were axed after series 3 due to ITV2 cutting back on spin-off programming. For series 12 live shows, both formats were revived as a single Thursday night live edition. Until series 10, after each series ended, a week of specials titled Best and Worst aired, featuring one to five episodes of the best and worst auditions.

A 60-minute special, The Winner's Story, aired each festive period, following the winner from the result announcement through the lead-up to the Christmas number one. From 2010, a pre-series special called X Factor Rewind looked back at the previous year's contestants. In series 12, these aired in late afternoon weekend slots on ITV; in 2016, two episodes aired on ITV2.