Simon Cowell's X Factor: The Band Start Date Revealed As Show Is Set To Rival Little Mix’s The Search
29 November 2019, 12:22 | Updated: 29 November 2019, 12:26
Simon Cowell is launching X Factor: The Band to rival Little Mix's new talent show The Search, continuing his historic beef with the singers.
The X Factor’s Simon Cowell announced he is launching The Band last month, and in a quick turn of events the show has been given a start date within the space of just a few weeks.
X Factor: The Band will begin on Monday 9 December, after Simon made an urgent call for hopefuls to sign up to audition with an Instagram video at the start of November.
Filming for the new competition show has already begun, despite the show's celebrity version not wrapping up until 30 November.
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The Band, will rival Little Mix’s The Search in which both competitions will search for the next big group.
Simon, who no longer represents the 'Woman Like Me' hitmakers due to a feud with their managers, told a tabloid he was initially part of the girl band's new show.
He said: “This is what really happened. I was approached to co-produce that show last year by Little Mix’s management. 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."
Simon continued: “Then we had the fallout and find out Little Mix were bringing their show forward. Was that intentional because we are doing our show? I have no idea.
“But regardless, it was too much fun not to do this year. I would rather it was us doing it first. It 100 percent makes it more exciting there being a battle.”
Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards announced their BBC1 talent show in October, revealing they are searching for a band to support them on their summer 2020 tour.
The girls will be coaching hopefuls to become an all-male, all-female or mixed band, saying: “We want to create lots of incredible groups who really gel. As we have been there and done it ourselves, we know what it takes to make a group successful, and will be there to mentor them every step of the way.
“We want solo artists to audition as well as groups and every type of genre is welcome too.”
Meanwhile, Simon admitted he wants to find a new band which will compete with Korean K-Pop acts such as BTS.
“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.”
You can apply for the LM5 singers’ show now on the programme’s website and you have to be at least 16 years old to apply.
The closing date for applications is Friday 10 January.
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