The X Factor Season 9: The F@G Ash Breath Welcome back to X Factor Xplored, where we dive into each season of The X Factor and its impact on British culture. Before The Show: * Kelly Rowland's Departure: Kelly Rowland didn't return as a judge. While officially she left, it’s speculated she was fired due to conflicts from the previous season. * Guest Judges: With no replacement ready, the auditions featured guest judges until Nicole Scherzinger was brought on. * Promo Controversy: The season promo featured past contestants but notably excluded some like Shayne Ward, sparking complaints. Judges: * Gary Barlow: Over 28s, mentored in Northamptonshire with Cheryl Cole. * Nicole Scherzinger: Boys, mentored in Dubai with Ne-Yo. * Tulisa Contostavlos: Girls, mentored in St. Lucia with Tinie Tempah. * Louis Walsh: Groups, mentored in Vegas with Sharon Osbourne. Notable Auditions: * Zoe Alexander: Accused the show of forcing her to sing a P!nk song, leading to a meltdown. Her claims of manipulation sparked significant backlash and discussions about the show's ethics. * Alison Brunton: Performed "The Edge of Glory," leading to Ofcom complaints due to potential distress caused to her children. * Lorna Bliss: A Britney Spears impersonator who gave Louis Walsh a lap dance, breaching pre-watershed decency standards. * Lucy Spraggan: Performed an original song, leading it to chart at number 11 the following week. Bootcamp/Judges Houses: * Rylan Clark: His emotional reaction at Judges' Houses became one of the season's most memorable moments. Live-Show Drama: * Public Voting: Christopher Maloney led the votes for the first seven weeks before James Arthur took over. * F@g Ash Breath" Incident: Gary Barlow's insult to Tulisa Contostavlos on live TV led to numerous complaints. * Controversial Eliminations: * Ella Henderson: Her shock elimination halved the odds of the show being axed. * Carolynne Poole: Eliminated in the first week after an ITV exec whispered to Louis Walsh during her final showdown, causing Gary Barlow to storm off stage. * Nicole and Jahmene: Nicole Scherzinger controversially grabbed the mic to take over Jahmene's performance, sparking backlash but also some praise for professionalism. * Lucy Spraggan: Left the show after being assaulted, revealing the inadequacy of the production's response. * Christopher Maloney: Excluded from the final group performance due to showing up intoxicated and had publicized disputes with other contestants. Winners, Success, and Where Are They Now: * James Arthur: * Won with "Impossible," the best-selling winner's single. * Had a massive hit with "Say You Won’t Let Go" and continues to release music as of 2024. * Jahmene Douglas: Released an album post-show. * Christopher Maloney: Appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, involved in the "David’s dead" moment. * Union J: Released music but remained overshadowed by One Direction. * Rylan Clark: Became a major TV presenter, notably on This Morning, Big Brother, and Eurovision. * Ella Henderson: Achieved global success with "Ghost" and frequently collaborates on hit singles. * Lucy Spraggan: Released multiple albums and was linked to Simon Cowell’s wedding. Viewer Statistics: * The season averaged 8.5 million viewers, marking a significant decline and indicating a waning cultural impact for The X Factor. #XFactorXplored #Tulisa #GaryBarlow #LouisWalsh #NicoleScherzinger #TheXFactor #XFactorBestMoments #EllaHenderston #JamesArthur #Rylan #ZoeAlexander #RealityTV #JoesAlternativeHistory - @joeefoster