X Factor Ditches Plans for Live Judges' Houses

Among the many changes planned for this year's X Factor, one of the most exciting was that they were going to air the 'Judges Houses' episodes live for the first time ever. Sure, it sounded like a technical nightmare, but would make for pretty entertaining viewing for us lot at home. Rylan's tears live? Can you only imagine.

Now however it's emerged that the plans have been ditched, well mostly anyways, as it would have been way too technically demanding and about a zillion problems could have got in the way, including potential weather issues that could suspend filming and whatnot.

They're only realising that now...?

So it seems the new plan is that contestants will no longer find out if they have made it through at Judges Houses, but during a live broadcast at Wembley arena. While we will still see them perform at the judges houses but that part will be pre-recorded.

An X Factor source told the Press Association: "We've always planned to have a live element to judges' houses, to give it more tension and drama. The biggest part of the show is the contestants' reactions.

"Now that we are finalising our plans this will all happen live from the studio in Wembley with all the judges and the contestants together, along with their friends and family.

"For the rest of the show we are going to pre-record the contestants performing on location, as logistically and technically this will give us the best show for viewers."

It will be nice to have all their family around them when they find out if they are going through, but this will mean that all acts will now only have one week's rehearsal time before live shows... be grand.