The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. The third series was broadcast on ITV from 19 August 2006 until 16 December 2006. Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Simon Cowell all returned for their third series on the judging panel. Kate Thornton returned to present the main show on ITV, while Ben Shephard returned to present spin-off show The Xtra Factor on ITV2. After the semi-final on 9 December, Cowell became the winning judge even though the series had not yet finished, as two of his acts, Ray Quinn and Leona Lewis, became the final two. Lewis won the series on 16 December, with Quinn finishing as runner-up.
Instead of the earlier red and purple colour scheme, this year's theme was red and blue. A new-look website for the third series was launched on 11 August 2006. The final on 16 December brought in the show's then-highest ever audience, with 12.6 million people tuning in (a 56% audience share), and 8 million votes were cast, with Lewis receiving 60%. Lewis released a cover of Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This" as her winner's single, and it went on to become the Christmas number one on 24 December despite only going on sale four days before on 20 December. It ended as the United Kingdom's second best selling single of the year. In January 2007, the single was awarded platinum status by the British Phonographic Industry. According to the Official Charts Company, the song has sold 895,000 copies in the United Kingdom as of December 2012.
Lewis emerged as the most successful contestant to appear on the X Factor having sold over 30 million records worldwide as well as being the only former contestant to be nominated for a Grammy.
This was the last series presented by Kate Thornton and the last time Ben Shephard presented The Xtra Factor. It was also the last series with only three judges (excluding times when a judge was absent).
Judges and Presenters
Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh all returned for their third series on the judging panel. Kate Thornton returned to present the main show on ITV, while Ben Shephard returned to present spin-off show The Xtra Factor on ITV2.
This was both Thornton and Shephard's last series of The X Factor, as Thornton announced her departure on 8 March 2007 and was replaced for the fourth series by Dermot O'Leary. Shephard also quit the show after being passed over for promotion to main presenter. He was replaced by Fearne Cotton. This is the final series to feature just three judges on the panel; from series 4, it was increased for four.
Selection process
Auditions
Auditions began on 7 June 2006. Simon Cowell said on ITV's This Morning "The next international boyband or girlband is what I want to see in this year's show". 100,000 people applied to audition, the most so far. Nearly 20,000 attended an open audition at Old Trafford, Manchester on 18 June 2006.
All three judges, Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh, returned. Hints by Cowell and the surrounding media that a fourth full-time judge mentoring a fourth category of contestants might be added proved to be false. However, American Idol judge Paula Abdul did make an appearance as a guest judge at the London auditions, and further celebrity guests appeared during the live shows. Auditions were held in cities around the UK and Republic of Ireland – London, Manchester, Birmingham, Dublin, Leeds, Bristol, Newcastle and Glasgow. Cowell had also stated that there could be a 14–24s category but during the audition process the category was named as 16–24s, as in the previous two series. Cowell was given the 16–24s, Osbourne had the Over 25s, and Walsh mentored the Groups. (Both rumoured changes – the lowering of the age limit and the addition of a fourth category – were actually implemented in series 4.)
Bootcamp It was originally intended that 21 acts (seven for each judge) should remain by the conclusion of the bootcamp stage. However, Cowell decided that he had made a mistake with his seven by failing to include Ray Quinn, and asked the producers to allow one more contestant or act to go through. The other two judges were then allowed to increase their quota to eight as well, giving a total of 24 acts.
Judges' houses In the "judges' houses" round this was cut down to 12 to go through to the live shows. Avenue were chosen to go through but were later disqualified, having misled the judges over an existing record contract with a manager who was no longer associated with the show. As a consequence of this disqualification, Eton Road were put through in their place.
Judges Houses Performances Contestant highlighted in bold advanced Over 25s: Ben: "With a Little Help from My Friends" Katie: "Anyone Who Had a Heart" Jonathan: "This Love" Robert: "Crazy" Tiwa: "Hero" Lyn: "Downtown" Kerry: "You've Got a Friend" Dionne: "What's Love Got to Do with It"
Groups: Brother's One: "Nobody Knows" The McDonald Brothers: "All I Have to Do Is Dream" Pure Liberty: "Crazy in Love" Dolly Rockers: "Round Round" The Unconventionals: "Dedicated to the One I Love" 4Sure: "I Swear" Avenue: "Back for Good" (originally advanced but were later disqualified) Eton Road: "God Only Knows" (originally eliminated but advanced later)
16-24s: Ray: "Smile" Stacey: "I Don't Want to Talk About It" Ashley: "I Can't Make You Love Me" Shaun: "Ben" Gemma: "With You I'm Born Again" Leona: "Without You" Carlo: "Your Song" Nikitta: "Angel"
+Summary of judges' houses Judge Category Location Assistant Acts Eliminated Cowell 16–24s Miami Sinitta Stacey Barnes, Carlo Muscatelli, Shaun Rogerson, Gemma Sampson Osbourne Over 25s London The Osbournes Katie Angus, Jonathan Bremner, Lyn Fairbanks, Tiwa Savage Walsh Groups Dublin Shane Filan Avenue, Brother's One, Dolly Rockers, Pure Liberty
Acts
Key: – Winner – Runner-Up
ActAge(s)HometownCategory (mentor)ResultLeona Lewis21North London16-24s (Cowell)WinnerRay Quinn18Liverpool16-24s (Cowell)Runner-upBen Mills26ChathamOver 25s (Osbourne)3rd placeThe MacDonald Brothers20AyrshireGroups (Walsh)4th placeEton Road*17-20Various5th placeRobert Allen27EssexOver 25s (Osbourne)6th placeNikitta Angus18Glasgow16-24s (Cowell)7th placeAshley McKenzie20Croydon8th placeKerry McGregor†32West LothianOver 25s (Osbourne)9th placeDionne Mitchell26London10th place4Sure23-38VariousGroups (Walsh)11th placeThe Unconventionals 25-4112th place Avenue was originally chosen to go through, but were disqualified from the competition. Eton Road took their place at the live shows. Kerry McGregor later died in 2012 from complications of bladder cancer.
Live shows
Results summary Colour key 16-24s
Over 25s
Groups –Act was in the bottom two/three and had to sing again in the final showdown –Act was in the bottom three but received the fewest votes and was immediately eliminated –Act received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown) –Act won the competition
+Weekly results per act Act Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Quarter-Final Semi-Final Final Leona Lewis Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Winner Ray Quinn Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom Two Safe Safe Safe Safe Runner-Up Ben Mills Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom Two Safe 3rd Eliminated The MacDonald Brothers Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 4th Eliminated(quarter-final) Eton Road Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom Two Bottom Two Eliminated(week 7) Robert Allen Safe Bottom Two Safe Bottom Two Safe Bottom Two Eliminated(week 6) Nikitta Angus Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom Two Eliminated(week 5) Ashley McKenzie Safe Safe Bottom Two Bottom Two Eliminated(week 4) Kerry McGregor Safe Safe Bottom Two Eliminated(week 3) Dionne MitchellBottom Two Safe 10th 4Sure Safe Bottom Two Eliminated(week 2) The Unconventionals Bottom Two Eliminated(week 1) Final Showdown Mitchell, The Unconventionals 4Sure, Allen McGregor, McKenzie Allen, McKenzie Angus, Quinn Allen, Eton Road Eton Road, MillsNo final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone Walsh's vote to eliminate (Groups) Mitchell Allen McGregor McKenzie Quinn AllenMills Osbourne's vote to eliminate (Over 25s) The Unconventionals 4Sure McKenzie McKenzie Angus Eton RoadEton Road Cowell's vote to eliminate (16-24s) The Unconventionals 4Sure McGregor Allen Angus AllenEton Road Eliminated The Unconventionals 2 of 3 votes Majority4Sure 2 of 3 votes MajorityDionne Mitchell Public voteto save Ashley McKenzie2 of 3 votesMajority Nikitta Angus 2 of 3 votes Majority Robert Allen 2 of 3 votes Majority Eton Road 2 of 3 votes Majority The MacDonald Brothers Public vote to save Ben Mills Public vote to saveRay Quinn Public vote to winKerry McGregor 2 of 3 votes Majority
Live show details
Week 1 (14 October) Theme: Motown Musical guests: Lionel Richie ("I Call It Love") Best bits song: "That's What Friends Are For"
+ Acts' performances on the first live show Act Order Song Motown Artist ResultRobert Allen1"All Night Long (All Night)"Lionel Richie SafeEton Road2"My Girl" The TemptationsNikitta Angus3"Heaven Must Have Sent You" The ElginsBen Mills4"The Tracks of My Tears" The MiraclesThe MacDonald Brothers5"Three Times a Lady" CommodoresRay Quinn6"Ben" Michael JacksonDionne Mitchell7"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"The Supremes Bottom TwoThe Unconventionals8"Dancing in the Street" Martha and the VandellasEliminatedAshley McKenzie9"Easy"Commodores SafeKerry McGregor10"You Are the Sunshine of My Life"Stevie Wonder4Sure11"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted"Jimmy RuffinLeona Lewis12"I'll Be There" Jackson 5
Judges' votes to eliminate Walsh: Dionne Mitchell – backed his own act, The Unconventionals. Osbourne: The Unconventionals – backed her own act, Dionne Mitchell. Cowell: The Unconventionals – stated that Mitchell had performed better than The Unconventionals on the night.
Week 2 (21 October) Theme: Songs by Rod Stewart Musical guest: Rod Stewart ("It's a Heartache") Best bits song: "End of the Road"
+ Acts' performances on the second live show Act Order Song ResultLeona Lewis1"The First Cut Is the Deepest" SafeKerry McGregor2"I Don't Want to Talk About It"The MacDonald Brothers3"Sailing"Ashley McKenzie4"I'd Rather Go Blind"Dionne Mitchell5"Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)"4Sure6"You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)"EliminatedNikitta Angus7"Bring It On Home to Me"SafeRobert Allen8"Try a Little Tenderness"Bottom TwoEton Road9"This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" SafeRay Quinn10"What a Wonderful World"Ben Mills11"Maggie May"
Judges' votes to eliminate Walsh: Robert Allen – backed his own act, 4Sure. Osbourne: 4Sure – backed her own act, Robert Allen. Cowell: 4Sure – stated that Allen had taken the panel's advice and improved his vocals.
Week 3 (28 October) Theme: Big band Musical guest: Tony Bennett ("The Best Is Yet to Come"/"For Once in My Life") Best bits songs: "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Dionne Mitchell) & "Over The Rainbow" (Kerry McGregor)
Cowell appeared on GMTV on the morning of Wednesday 25 October and said that "something big is going to happen this week that none of the contestants know about – a change that will shake some of them up." It was revealed on the show that this surprise was to be a double elimination. The three acts with the fewest public votes were announced as the bottom three and then the act with the fewest votes was automatically eliminated. The remaining two acts then performed in the final showdown and faced the judges' votes.