The Hurdle Before Contestants Get To 'The X Factor' Live Shows Is Higher Than Ever

Missed Dermot O'Leary proclaiming that "your Saturday night starts right here?" Prepared to get excited, because the The X-Factor auditions are already over which means you're one step closer to the live shows. Remember — there's no Boot Camp this year, so it's a straight dash through the Six Chair Challenge and the Judges' Houses stages. But when do The X-Factor live shows start? Thanks to some major deducing and digging, I've got it all sussed out.

If my calculations are correct, the live shows will begin on Oct. 13. How have I come to this conclusion? I'll show you my workings. According to Radio Times, The X Factor final has been confirmed for Dec. 1. I reached out to the show for further confirmation on this, and a spokesperson tells me that whilst the air date for the live shows have yet to be revealed, they are set to kick off in October.

Since there are no more auditions, the next bout of drama to unfold will be the Six Chair Challenge, where the judges have to whittle down their acts by giving them a seat on one of their chairs. This stage will be spread across three episodes, and will air from Sep. 29. Once it's complete, it's onto the judges houses which should be another two episodes — on Oct. 6 & 7 — meaning the live shows will likely begin the week after.

The 2017 series ran for a shortened six weeks, so if this year's series runs for the same length of time, six weeks from Oct. 13 takes us right up to the date of the final — Dec. 1.

The shorter length is all down to Simon Cowell mixing up the show's format. He told the Metro last year "the early and middle rounds rate well" compared to the live shows. "I think if you just make the same show each year it becomes boring and predictable. So you try and make changes for the better," he said. Cowell's fondness for change also explains the absence of Boot Camp this year. Instead, the show will focusing more on the tension from the dreaded Six Chair Challenge.

Acts will perform individually in front of their chosen mentors — and a live audience — for the chance of one of six seats that represent a place in the Judges' Houses stage. Even if a contestant nabs a seat, it's not guaranteed and judges can be swap acts out at any given time. This cycle will continue until all six chairs are occupied, and will put the hopefuls off musical chairs for life.

Whilst this portion of the show was introduced in 2013, it's been spruced up this time around by the addition of the Golden X. Much like the Golden Buzzer in Britain's Got Talent, a judge can keep an act safe by pressing the Golden X which means that they will go straight through to the Judges' Houses and cannot be swapped out.

Looks like there's going to be a lot of tension and drama, just how I like my X Factor. Speaking of tension, what happened to the judges being given their categories?

I swear it used to be drawn out longer than it was in Sunday's episode. Anyway, there was a slight twist with this too, as not only did the contestants not know which mentors they were being given, the judges had no idea until they walked into the room. It was then revealed that Ayda Field got the overs, Simon Cowell got the girls, Louis Tomlinson got the boys, and Robbie Williams got the groups (of course).

Can someone just press the fast-forward button to the weekend please? I can't wait for my X Factor fix.

The X Factor continues on Saturday, Sep. 29 at 8.35pm on ITV.