The X Factor (New Zealand TV series)

The X Factor was created by Simon Cowell in the United Kingdom and the New Zealand version is based on the original UK series.

[5] Broadcast funding agency NZ On Air confirmed they would contribute $1.6 million to the first series as a minority investor, for the production of 30 episodes of 60 minutes duration each.

[3][7] The judging panel for the first season was composed of All Saints member Melanie Blatt, Australian-born Maori, New Zealand singer-songwriter Ruby Frost and Australian Idol winner Stan Walker and New Zealand-born, UK-based singer-songwriter Daniel Bedingfield.

[11] They were replaced by Australian X Factor judge Natalie Bassingthwaighte and kiwi drummer of Blindspott and I Am Giant, Shelton Woolright.

On 15 March 2015 during the first live episode of The X Factor, Kills and Moon bullied and verbally attacked a contestant, Joe Irvine from the Over 25s.

Kills and Moon were replaced by X Factor Australia judge, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and kiwi-born, I am Giant drummer - Shelton Woolwright.

[19] In 2017, MediaWorks confirmed that the format rights to the show had expired, thus revealing that plans for a third series had officially been cancelled.

[20] There are five stages to the competition: Pre-auditions in front of the show's producers were held in towns and cities across New Zealand.

[21] The successful auditionees chosen by the producers were invited back to the last set of auditions held in front of the judges and a live studio audience in Auckland.

[22] From the judges' auditions and the second-chance Fast Ford Boot Camp (first series only), successful contestants then progressed to the bootcamp round.

[23] In the second series, the bootcamp included a live studio audience and used a six-seat challenge to choose the contestants to progress to the judges retreats' round.

The acts usually sing over a pre-recorded backing track, and backup dancers are commonly featured as well as stage props.

Heated disagreements, usually involving judges defending their acts against criticism, are a regular feature of the show.

The table below shows, for each series, which category each judge is allocated and which acts he or she put through to the live finals.

During the first live show of the second series, judges Natalia Kills and her husband Willy Moon verbally attacked and ridiculed a contestant, Joe Irvine, resulting in an audible backlash from the audience and fellow judge Melanie Blatt, who later described Kills as "a twat" on social media for her behaviour.

It was a replacement of behind-the-scenes video blog Samsung Insider, which was part of the first series of The X Factor.

In the final episode, series winner Beau Monga was presented with his car as part of his prize.