X Factor: The Band to replace planned X Factor All Stars series

The X Factor’s planned All Stars show has been dropped in favour of new series X Factor: The Band.

The new spin-off will see acts audition to form part of a girl group and boy band.

The news comes just weeks after former X Factor winners Little Mix announced their own plans for a similar series, Little Mix: The Search, on BBC One next year.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, Simon Cowell explained how Little Mix’s management had first approached him about their show last year.

“I told them the problem was we have a conflict of interest because we are launching X Factor The Band in 2020. We were told their show was going to launch in 2021,” he claimed.

Simon added: “It was too much fun not to do this year. I would rather it was us doing it first.

“It 100 per cent makes it more exciting there being a battle.”

Explaining his thought process behind the new show, Simon told the tabloid: “K-Pop is ruling the world. This is a show to find a band to launch UK-Pop. It’s more than winning a record contract, it’s starting a new music wave.

“Every group will be put together by us — just like One Direction, Little Mix and Fifth Harmony. It’s people who represent Britain’s version of K-Pop. That was always our plan. We’ve just brought it forward a bit.”

Exact details on X Factor: The Band are scarce but it’s reported that it will likely feature different judges to the current celebrity series which stars Nicole Scherzinger and Louis Walsh alongside Simon.

Auditions will be held in London later this year before live shows take place from Birmingham in December, the week of the General Election on 12 December.

You can apply for the new series online here.

You can also audition with your mobile phone by sending a video of yourself singing to The X Factor’s WhatsApp number 07733 222 927

Meanwhile, Simon suggested that The X Factor’s All Stars show could still air in 2020.

For now, The X Factor: Celebrity currently continues on ITV on Saturday nights.

You can catch up on the series online via ITV Hub.