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The X Factor is a British music competition for budding singers recruited from public auditions. The Simon Cowell-created show premiered in September 2004 and airs annually from August/September through December. The show is produced by Thames and SYCOtv. It's on ITV in the UK and TV3 in Ireland, with The Xtra Factor on ITV2. It's the creator of The X Factor franchise. The X Factor was created as a successor for Pop Idol, which was put on indefinite hiatus following its second season. Cowell, a judge on Pop Idol, wanted to begin a show to which he controlled the TV rights. The two shows' similarities sparked a legal conflict. "X Factor" refers to the indefinable trait that produces a celebrity. The original judges were Cowell, Osbourne, and Walsh. Dannii Minogue joined Series 4 and Cheryl Cole replaced Osbourne in Series 5. Cowell and Cole left after series 7 to judge the American version, and Minogue went for Australia's Got Talent. Kelly Rowland, Tulisa Contostavlos, and Gary Barlow joined Walsh on the judging panel for series8. Rowland said she wouldn't return for season9, and Nicole Scherzinger replaced her. Osbourne replaced Contostavlos in 2013. Since2007, Dermot O'Leary has replaced Kate Thornton as host. The show follows contestants from auditions through the final round. In the inaugural televised auditions, applicants sang for just the judges. After season6, auditionees sing in front of the judges and a live audience. Successful auditionees travel to "bootcamp" and then to "judges' houses," where judges pick three or four acts to coach for the live events, when the public votes for their favorites.