After winning The X Factor back in 2011, Little Mix have enjoyed almost a decade of success, with awards, number-one singles and even their own reality TV music competition.
Little Mix The Search has been a breath of fresh air in a genre which has often felt akin to a public flogging at times, with countless auditionees subjected to mockery and abuse by both the judges and those tuning in.
Instead, Jesy, Leigh-Anne, Perrie and Jade have taken a different approach, offering up words of wisdom and lashings of kindness to the hopefuls we’ve enjoyed performances from across the past three weekends.
BBC
Now that the six bands have been assembled – rap and R&B, boyband, vocal and instruments, girl vocal, mixed group and girl dance – the next stage is all about the battle of the bands, the winner of which will join Little Mix on their upcoming ‘Confetti’ Tour.
Episode seven, which was the series’ first live show, was supposed to air tonight (Saturday, October 17), but it’s been postponed after several people on set tested positive for COVID-19.
“We can confirm that a small number of people on the Little Mix The Search production have tested positive for coronavirus and they are now self-isolating following the latest government guidelines,” the BBC said in a statement.
“Due to the format of the show we have made the decision to postpone Saturday’s programme. There are rigorous protocols in place to manage Covid-19 as the safety of all those involved in the production is paramount.”
Zoe McConnellBBC
A representative for the band told The Sun that Little Mix themselves have “tested negative and do not need to isolate”, adding: “They will be regularly tested throughout the run of the series.”
It’s hoped that the show will be back on air on Saturday, October 24.
Chatting to Radio Times before The Search hit screens, Jesy said that The X Factor can often feel “like a script”, adding: “When they’re like, ‘This is going to be a sob story,’ then they’ll stop the song halfway through and ask if they have something else.
“We got so used to seeing that, it lost its authenticity.”
Getty Images
Jade elaborated on that: “The minute it doesn’t seem real, you switch off. How am I meant to believe in it anymore? I could literally write it myself and tell you what’s coming next.
“When we created The Search, we wanted to make sure it was a new dawn of reality TV where authenticity is key.
“You can’t lie to people. People aren’t stupid.”
Greg Doherty/WireImageGetty Images
Speaking of The X Factor, are there plans to bring it back despite a significant drop in its ratings?
The 2020 series was cancelled, and at the virtual Edinburgh TV Festival in August, ITV boss Kevin Lygo said that there’s a chance 2021 could also be off the cards.
“It’s not definitely returning – it might return, and if it does the format will tweak,” he said (via The Sun).
“I know it was the most successful entertainment show for the best part of a decade and you need to be wary of changes. We all think there were too many changes towards the end of the run, but I’m sure X Factor will be back at some stage.
“It’s really, ‘When is the right moment?'”
ITV
Much of the decision making also comes down to Simon Cowell, its creator.
“Simon controls it more than we do,” he said. “When does he want it to come back, how does he want to come back? Hopefully we can be part of it.”
In December 2019, it was announced that Cowell’s multi-year contract with ITV had been extended until at least until 2024.
But while Britain’s Got Talent will air every year until that point, The X Factor was only commissioned for 2020, which, as mentioned, isn’t happening.
Luckily for us, we’ve got The Search to keep us company.
Little Mix The Search airs on BBC ONE. Catch-up now on BBC iPlayer.
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