The X Factor (TV series)

The X Factor is a television talent show franchise originating in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for Pop Idol. It is a singing competition, now held in various countries, which pits contestants against each other. These contestants are aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions. The programs are produced by executive producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco TV. The "X Factor" of the title refers to the undefinable "something" that makes for star quality. The prize is usually a recording contract, in addition to the publicity that appearance in the later stages of the show itself generates, not only for the winner but also for other highly ranked contestants.
The format creator is Simon Cowell who used to also judge and mentor on the UK series. The UK version is responsible for the launch of the internationally successful singer Leona Lewis. As of June 2011, there have been 53 winners of The X Factor around the world, the most recent being Matthew Raymond-Barker from France.
Television stations in many countries, but especially the Scandinavian ones, have expressed an interest in showing the UK version, but have not been able to acquire the rights. This is due to legal issues as the British version of the show is only available in the UK and Ireland. The X Factor has recently started its 8th Series.
The similarities between The X Factor and Idol formats prompted the creator of Pop Idol Simon Fuller, along with 19 Entertainment to file a lawsuit against Cowell, Syco TV, and FremantleMedia in 2004. An out-of-court settlement was reached in 2005 allowing Fuller to gain an executive producer status, a 10% share in The X Factor format, and preventing an American version until 2010. Fuller later filed a lawsuit again in 2011 after Syco, FremantleMedia, and Fox Broadcasting Company failed to fulfill the settlement of crediting him as an executive producer. 

Unlike Pop Idol, where contestants are solely judged by the judges, on The X Factor each judge mentors the finalists in a particular category, aiding them with song selection and styling, while also participating together in judging the contestants of the other categories.