The X Factor: Battle of the Stars explained

Image Upright:1.13
Module1:
Network:ITV

The X Factor: Battle of the Stars is a UK celebrity special edition of The X Factor, which screened on ITV, started on 29 May 2006 and lasting for eight consecutive nights. Pop Idol was meant to air in its place as Celebrity Pop Idol but was stopped shortly before transmission, when ITV picked The X Factor over it.

Nine celebrity acts participated, singing live in front of the nation and facing the judges of the previous The X Factor series, Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh. Voting revenues were donated to the celebrities' chosen charities.

Cowell originally axed the format after its first airing, describing as "pointless", however, a revamped variation of the format aired in 2019, titled with Cowell and Walsh reprising their roles as judges and Nicole Scherzinger replacing Osbourne on the panel as well as Dermot O'Leary taking over from Kate Thornton as host.

Contestants

Key:

 - Winner

 - Runner-up

Act(s)Age(s)Category (mentor)Known ForResult
Lucy Benjamin35Over 25s (Walsh)Former EastEnders actressWinner
Matt Stevens2316-24s (Osbourne)Rugby union playerRunner-up
Chris Moyles32Over 25s (Walsh)Television & radio presenter3rd place
The Chefs37–50Groups (Cowell)Celebrity chefs4th place
Nikki Sanderson2216-24s (Osbourne)Former Coronation Street actress5th place
James & Rebecca48 & 28Groups (Cowell)Former British Army cavalry officer (Hewitt)
Media personality & glamour model (Loos)
6th place
Michelle Marsh2316-24s (Osbourne)Page 3 girl & glamour model7th place
Gillian McKeith46Over 25s (Walsh)Nutritionist, author & television presenter8th place
Paul & Debbie68 & 47Groups (Cowell)Magician & television presenter (Daniels)
Magician's assistant (McGee)
9th place

Live shows

Results summary

Colour key
  - Contestant was in the bottom two and had to sing again in the final showdown
  - Contestant received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown)
ActShow 1Show 2Show 3Show 4Show 5Quarter-FinalSemi-FinalFinal
Lucy BenjaminSafe Safe Bottom Two Safe Safe Safe Safe style=background:lightgreen Winner
(day 8)
Matt StevensSafe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Runner-up
(day 8)
Chris MoylesSafe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe style=background:pink 3rd Eliminated
(day 7)
The ChefsSafe Safe Safe Safe Bottom Two style=background:pink 4th Eliminated
(day 6)
Nikki SandersonSafe Safe Safe Bottom Two Bottom Two Eliminated
(day 5)
James & RebeccaSafe Safe Safe Bottom Two Eliminated
(day 4)
Michelle MarshSafe Bottom Two Bottom Two Eliminated
(day 3)
Gillian McKeithBottom Two Bottom Two Eliminated
(day 2)
Paul & DebbieBottom Two Eliminated
(day 1)
Final showdownMcKeith,
Paul & Debbie
McKeith,
Marsh
Benjamin,
Marsh
James & Rebecca,
Sanderson
The Chefs,
Sanderson
No final showdown or judges' votes; results were based on public votes alone
Walsh's vote to eliminate (Over 25s)Paul & Debbie Marsh Marsh James & Rebecca Sanderson
Osbourne's vote to eliminate (16-24s)Paul & Debbie McKeith Benjamin James & Rebecca The Chefs
Cowell's vote to eliminate (Groups)McKeith McKeith Marsh Sanderson Sanderson
EliminatedPaul & Debbie
2 of 3 votes
Majority
Gillian McKeith
2 of 3 votes
Majority
Michelle Marsh
2 of 3 votes
Majority
James & Rebecca
2 of 3 votes
Majority
Nikki Sanderson
2 of 3 votes
Majority
The Chefs
Public vote
to save
Chris Moyles
Public vote
to save
Matt Stevens
Public vote
to win

Live show details

Show 1 (29 May 2006)

Contestants' performances on the first live show
ActOrderSongResult
Paul & Debbie1"Let Me Entertain You"Eliminated
Nikki Sanderson2"I've Got the Music in Me"Safe
Gillian McKeith3"I Just Want to Make Love to You"Bottom two
The Chefs4"Uptown Girl"Safe
Matt Stevens5"Mack the Knife"Safe
Lucy Benjamin6"Put Your Records On"Safe
James & Rebecca7"Addicted to Love"Safe
Michelle Marsh8"River Deep – Mountain High"Safe
Chris Moyles9"Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"Safe
Judges' votes to eliminate:

Show 2 (30 May 2006)

Contestants' performances on the second live show
ActOrderSongResult
Chris Moyles1"You Really Got Me"Safe
Michelle Marsh2"Eternal Flame"Bottom two
The Chefs3"Volare"Safe
Lucy Benjamin4"Walking on Sunshine"Safe
Gillian McKeith5"The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)"Eliminated
James & Rebecca6"Baby, It's Cold Outside"Safe
Nikki Sanderson7"Emotion"Safe
Matt Stevens8"Smooth"Safe
Judges' votes to eliminate:

Show 3 (31 May 2006)

Contestants' performances on the third live show
ActOrderSongResult
Lucy Benjamin1"Get the Party Started"Bottom two
Nikki Sanderson2"The Voice Within"Safe
Chris Moyles3"What a Wonderful World"Safe
Michelle Marsh4"Ironic"Eliminated
The Chefs5"To All the Girls I've Loved Before"Safe
Matt Stevens6"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"Safe
James & Rebecca7"Rock DJ"Safe
Judges' votes to eliminate:

Show 4 (1 June 2006)

Contestants' performances on the fourth live show
ActOrderSongResult
Nikki Sanderson1"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"Bottom two
Chris Moyles2"Beautiful Day"Safe
James & Rebecca3"The Way You Make Me Feel"Eliminated
Matt Stevens4"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"Safe
Lucy Benjamin5"See the Day" (Girls Aloud)Safe
The Chefs6"Crazy Little Thing Called Love"Safe
Judges' votes to eliminate:

Show 5 (2 June 2006)

Contestants' performances on the fifth live show
ActOrderFirst SongOrderSecond songResult
The Chefs1"Get Back"6"That's Amore"Bottom two
Nikki Sanderson2"Run to You"7"Shackles (Praise You)"Eliminated
Chris Moyles3"Achilles Heel"8"Avenues and Alleyways"Safe
Lucy Benjamin4"Call Me"9"Killing Me Softly with His Song"Safe
Matt Stevens5"Nobody Knows"10"Piano Man"Safe
Judges' votes to eliminate:

Show 6: Quarter-final (3 June 2006)

Contestants' performances on the sixth live show
ActOrderFirst SongOrderSecond songResult
Matt Stevens1"Moondance" 5"Desperado"Safe
The Chefs2"Can't Take My Eyes Off You"6"Livin' la Vida Loca"Eliminated
Chris Moyles3"That's My Goal"7"Burning Love"Safe
Lucy Benjamin4"If I Ain't Got You"8"Maybe"Safe

For the first time in the series, there was no bottom two. The act with the fewest votes was eliminated.

Show 7: Semi-final (4 June 2006)

Contestants' performances on the seventh live show
ActOrderFirst SongOrderSecond songResult
Chris Moyles1"Hard To Handle" 4"Wonderwall"Eliminated
Lucy Benjamin2"That Ole Devil Called Love"5"Torn"Safe
Matt Stevens3"I Got A Woman"6"She's The One"Safe

For the second time in the series, there was no bottom two. The act with the fewest votes was eliminated.

Show 8: Final (5 June 2006)

All the contestants appeared to perform "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" and Shayne Ward performed "Stand by Me".

ActOrderFirst songOrderSecond songResult
Matt Stevens1"Theme from New York, New York"3"Mack The Knife"Runner-Up
Lucy Benjamin2"Last Dance"4"See The Day"Winner

Reception

Ratings

All ratings are taken from the UK Programme Ratings website, BARB.[1]

EpisodeAir dateOfficial rating
(millions)
Weekly rank for all UK TV channels
Live show 15.79 24
Live show 24.42 40
Live show 36.07 21
Live show 45.89 23
Live show 55.57 28
Live quarter-final5.35 31
Live semi-final6.31 19
Live final6.62 14
Series average20065.75

Axing and revival

See main article: article and The X Factor: Celebrity. It was reported on 26 August 2006 that Cowell had axed the show, describing it as "pointless" and adding "we are never going to do it again."[2] However, Cowell later stated in an interview with The Sun on 30 November 2018 that he would consider reviving the show for a second series as a charity special.[3]

The show's format was reported to return in 2019, along with a separate series for former contestants with a similar format, as the regular series is being put on hiatus due to declining ratings.[4] [5] On 7 July 2019, Walsh spoke about the return of the series, stating, "I go to Los Angeles on Tuesday, I go to Simon's house in Malibu, it's me Simon and Nicole [Scherzinger] and we're doing the celebrity one."[6]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/weekly-top-30? BARB Official Site
  2. Web site: Simon Cowell confirms plans to launch TWO new versions of The X Factor in 2019. 2021-02-09. Radio Times. en.
  3. News: Simon Cowell wants to revive Celebrity X Factor and mentor David Walliams. 2018-12-01. Metro. en-US. 2019-08-22.
  4. Web site: Simon Cowell's X Factor and BGT each getting TWO series in 2019. Justin. Harp. 14 February 2019. Digital Spy.
  5. Web site: Celebrity X Factor: Which Stars Are On The Line-Up And Who Are The Judges?. 16 July 2019.
  6. Web site: Louis Walsh and Nicole Scherzinger 'to return to The X Factor'. Josh. Darvill. 7 July 2019. TellyMix.