X Factor longer than ever!

image via The List

Are you bubbling over with excitement for the newest series of X Factor? If the exciting new line up of judges, the will-she won’t-she rumours of Cheryl’s reappearance or the “he definitely will not” of NDubz’, banned from the show, Dappy isn’t enough to get you chomping at the bit for your 3 months fix of X Factor, perhaps the news of extra-long episodes will!

No? Would you prefer to watch something else on your quiet Saturday night in?  Well, you’d better start planning your X Factor avoidance strategy now because you have a lot of Saturday night TV viewing to account for! This upcoming series’ live shows are rumoured to be 3 hours long each.

A source at digital spy said:

“The feeling is that the audience can’t get enough of the show and extending the programmes again seems the natural next step,”

The idea is simple. More X Factor will mean more viewers, more advertising space, more telephone votes and, ultimately, more revenue.”

It has been suggested that, unlike like last year’s 12 finalists and 4 “wild card” contestants competing in 10 weeks of live finals, this year they are hoping to add extra shows and begin with 16 finalist as well as adding the extended shows to the mix.  The source revealed:

“The final details are still being ironed out, but there will definitely be more X Factor on screen this year than has ever been seen before. There are going to be longer shows and, hopefully, more of them.”

I for one am extremely excited by the prospect of longer shows featuring Gary Barlow (and therefore more chances of Take that appearances [and therefore more opportunity to drool over Mark Owen]). I’m already sure he’ll make a fantastic substitute for Simon Cowell, and I’m not just saying that because I love Take That.  Dermot O’Leary reportedly told Star magazine:

“Gary Barlow, in particular, has been terrific as a judge – and so has Kelly Rowland.

Gary has just been a revelation. He’s witty, he’s acerbic – and it’s Gary Barlow. When he needs to be honest, he can be honest.”

And if Dermot says it, it has to be true!

What do you think about three hours of live X Factor? Are you excited for more X Factor than ever before? Or is it all just a way for Cowell to make yet more money? Or do you (like me) not care about the depth of Simon Cowell’s pockets if it makes for extra-long Gary Barlow viewing? Let us know in the comments section below!

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