The BEST episodes of The X Factor season 12
Every episode of The X Factor season 12, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The X Factor season 12!
Aspiring singers compete to become the nation's next singing sensation.
#1 - Six Chair Challenge 1
Season 12 - Episode 10 - Aired 10/4/2015
The first stage of this year's three-part Six Chair Challenge arrives, in which judges Simon, Rita, Nick, and Cheryl are given the opportunity to pick six acts to champion through to the later stages of the contest. The format has the potential to generate a great deal of drama in the studio, as the judges have the right to switch acts in and out of their line-up whenever they choose. Girl group 4th Power, 17-year-old singer Louisa Johnson, and youth worker Monica Michael are among the would-be stars who have already secured a place in this round of the contest, but it remains to be seen whether any of them will be able to win over the panel and progress further.
Watch Now:Amazon#2 - Six Chair Challenge 2
Season 12 - Episode 11 - Aired 10/11/2015
Olly and Caroline present the climax of the Six Chair Challenge. Judges Rita, Simon, Cheryl, and Nick must each select six acts to take a place in the live shows. However, contestants who put in an impressive performance are not out of the woods, as the judges have the freedom to change their minds at any point in the show.
Watch Now:Amazon#3 - Live Show 3
Season 12 - Episode 19 - Aired 11/14/2015
Caroline and Olly present as the remaining contestants face their third live show, in which they enter Movie Week. For tonight's performances, the singers must tackle hit songs from major films, once again demonstrating their talent to judges Simon, Cheryl, Nick, and Rita, in the hopes of surviving another round, and taking a step closer to this year's final.
Watch Now:Amazon#4 - Auditions 1
Season 12 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/29/2015
The talent show returns for its 12th series with Radio One DJ Nick Grimshaw and singer-songwriter Rita Ora joining Simon Cowell and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini on the judging panel. New presenting duo Caroline Flack, and Olly Murs host as the search for a potential music star with an amazing voice and that extra special something begins. Tonight's edition will see the start of the auditions, as hopefuls perform in front of the judges and an arena audience of thousands in the hope of securing a place at Boot Camp.
Watch Now:Amazon#5 - Judges' Houses 2
Season 12 - Episode 14 - Aired 10/25/2015
Olly and Caroline present the next stage of the talent show, as the 24 acts to make it into the four categories - Overs, Groups, Girls, and Boys - complete their training in the judges' house and return to the London studio to perform once again in the hope of impressing the judges and the public. At the end of the show, half the acts featured will be eliminated from the contest.
Watch Now:Amazon#6 - Semi Final Results
Season 12 - Episode 26 - Aired 12/6/2015
Che Chesterman, Lauren Murray, Louisa Johnson, and Reggie & Bollie return to the stage as Caroline and Olly present the results of the weekend's viewers' vote. Only three of the semi-finalists will be able to progress to next week's final, meaning one unlucky act will face bowing out of the contest ahead of the climax. Tonight's show also features a group performance, as well as a performance by Sia.
#7 - Final
Season 12 - Episode 27 - Aired 12/12/2015
The three finalists assemble for the first of this weekend's live Grand Final shows. The would-be pop-stars must first make it through two more showdowns, as judges Simon, Rita, Cheryl, and Nick are once again called upon to deliver their verdict on each act's singing prowess. The act with the lowest public-vote figures will face an early exit from the contest this evening, bowing out in third place. By the end of tomorrow evening, one of the two remaining acts will claim their place in the spotlight as this year's winner.
#8 - Semi Final
Season 12 - Episode 25 - Aired 12/5/2015
As ever, Simon, Nick, Rita, and Cheryl are on hand to judge each contestant's skills with the mic, and presenters Caroline and Olly offer the singers much-needed moral support on-stage. Following today's show, the least successful contestants face another tense sing-off tomorrow, after which one unlucky act will be eliminated, leaving the finalists to progress through to the contest's last round next weekend.
#9 - Live Show 4 Results
Season 12 - Episode 22 - Aired 11/22/2015
Caroline and Olly present the results of the viewers' vote, revealing which acts are safely through to the next round. The two lowest scoring contestants compete in a sing-off in front of judges Nick, Rita, Cheryl, and Simon to decide who gets eliminated. Plus, Olly performs his latest single “Kiss Me” and Nathan Sykes from the Wanted sings his solo track Over and “Over Again”.
#10 - Live Show 4
Season 12 - Episode 21 - Aired 11/21/2015
Caroline and Olly present as the remaining would-be stars face their fourth live show. This week, the contestants' performances are themed around “love and heartbreak”, with each choosing a popular song about the pain of being in love. Tomorrow's show will see yet another act eliminated following a tense sing-off. Plus, Ed Sheeran and Rudimental take to the stage with their hit single Lay It On Me.
#11 - Live Show 2
Season 12 - Episode 17 - Aired 11/7/2015
The remaining acts line up for the second stage of the nerve-racking live shows. Caroline and Olly present as the competitors receive another chance to demonstrate their talent in the hopes of claiming a place in the live final later this year. Simon, Cheryl, Nick, and Rita are on hand to appraise the would-be stars, and tomorrow's show will see yet another act eliminated following a tense sing-off.
#12 - Six Chair Challenge 3
Season 12 - Episode 12 - Aired 10/18/2015
Caroline and Olly present the final stage of the six chair challenge, featuring contestants from the Overs category. Judges Simon, Rita, Nick, and Cheryl must each select six performers to go through to the judges' houses stage - but have the freedom to change their mind at any point, so even those who win a place are not safe until the very end.
#13 - Country House Boot Camp 2
Season 12 - Episode 9 - Aired 9/27/2015
The contestants face the next stage of Boot Camp as they perform for judges Nick, Rita, Cheryl, and Simon in the grand surroundings of a country house. If they succeed in impressing the panel, they stand to win one of the coveted places in the six chair challenge and be one step closer to victory.
#14 - Auditions 5
Season 12 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/12/2015
Olly and Caroline host proceedings as the audition stages continue, as more hopeful contenders seek to win over the panel and secure a place at Boot Camp. Doing so means they must face the collective criticism of Simon, Cheryl, Nick, and Rita, along with the arena audience.
#15 - Auditions 4
Season 12 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/6/2015
Caroline and Olly present further coverage of the audition process, as another batch of applicants perform in front of judges Simon, Cheryl, Nick, and Rita, as well as an arena audience of thousands, in the hope of winning one of the coveted places at the Boot Camp.
#16 - Live Show 3 Results
Season 12 - Episode 20 - Aired 11/15/2015
Caroline and Olly present the results of last night's live show, revealing which acts are safely through to the next round. The two lowest scoring scoring contestants compete in a sing-off in front of judges Nick, Rita, Cheryl, and Simon, to decide who gets to stay in the competition and who gets eliminated. With performances by One Direction and Jess Glynne.
#17 - Final Results
Season 12 - Episode 28 - Aired 12/13/2015
The two acts left battling for the crown perform what will become the winner's single in front of 10,000 people at Wembley Arena, before they find out who has won this year's competition. Plus there are performances from top international guest stars.
#18 - Live Show 5 Results
Season 12 - Episode 24 - Aired 11/29/2015
Caroline and Olly present the results of the viewers' votes, and reveal whether Che Chesterman, Lauren Murray, Louisa Johnson, 4th Impact, or Reggie & Bollie are guaranteed a place in next week's semi finals. The two lowest scoring acts will be asked to compete against each other in a sing-off to impress judges Simon, Cheryl, Rita, and Nick, with the loser being eliminated from the contest. Plus, country singer and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood performs her new single “Heartbeat”.
#19 - Live Show 5
Season 12 - Episode 23 - Aired 11/28/2015
Simon, Nick, Rita, and Cheryl are once again on hand to appraise the remaining competitors' talents, and presenters Caroline and Olly offer the singers much-needed moral support on-stage. As always, tomorrow's show will see yet another of the acts eliminated following another tense sing-off.
#20 - Live Show 2 Results
Season 12 - Episode 18 - Aired 11/8/2015
Caroline and Olly present the results of last night's viewers' vote. The lowest scoring acts are challenged to compete in a sing-off to win the approval of judges Nick, Rita, Cheryl, and Simon - with one of them being eliminated from the contest at the end of tonight's show.
#21 - Live Show 1 Results
Season 12 - Episode 16 - Aired 11/1/2015
Caroline and Olly present the results of last night's live shows, revealing which acts have scored the lowest number of votes. These performers will be challenged to take part in a sing-off in front of judges Nick, Rita, Cheryl, and Simon, with the losers facing elimination from the contest. Plus, Little Mix perform “On My Mind”.
#22 - Live Show 1
Season 12 - Episode 15 - Aired 10/31/2015
Caroline and Olly present the first of this year's live shows. The 12 remaining acts compete for the chance to make it through to the live final later this year, hoping to impress the judges enough to stay on the show. Simon has the Overs, Cheryl the Groups, Nick the Boys, and Rita the Girls. However, the standard is high, which is sure to cause drama and disagreements among the judges, and tomorrow's show will see the first act eliminated after a sing-off.
#23 - Judges' Houses 1
Season 12 - Episode 13 - Aired 10/24/2015
The beginning of the judges' houses stage, which sees the remaining 24 acts jet off to glamorous destinations around the world to sing for a place in the live shows. As usual the judges are assisted by industry experts - Simon by One Direction heart-throb Louis Tomlinson, Cheryl by chart star Jess Glynne, Rita by US sensation Meghan Trainor, and Nick by leading producer Mark Ronson. However, unlike in previous years, the hopefuls don't get the news straight away. Instead they have had to wait a few weeks until this weekend, when back in the studio the judges will finally choose their finalists live.
#24 - Country House Boot Camp 1
Season 12 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/20/2015
The first of two boot-camp programmes sees the successful contestants from the arena auditions stage undertake a series of singing challenges when they are put through their paces by judges Simon, Cheryl, Rita, and Nick at a grand country house.
#25 - Auditions 7
Season 12 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/19/2015
Caroline and Olly present coverage as the audition stage concludes, with another batch of applicants performing in front of judges Simon, Cheryl, Nick, and Rita, as well as an arena audience of thousands, in the hope of winning one of the coveted places at Boot Camp.