X FACTOR

The X Factor is the UK's biggest singing competition - 2009 sees series 6 - has been replicated all over the world.

A panel of judges (failed pop-star Dannii Minogue, Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh) narrow 100,000+ applicants down to a final 12 who compete over 11 weeks to win a £1m recording contract.

Past UK winners include flops like Leon Jackson as well as international successes like Leona Lewis. Christ knows how they chose the final 12 in 2009 - some of them are awful.