Has X Factor Boot Camp been cancelled and what round will replace it on the 2018 series?

SIMON Cowell secretly plotted a massive overhaul of the ITV talent show in order to remain fresh in its 15th year.

While the biggest change occurred on the judging panel, it now seems there have been some significant alterations to the format of the show as well. Here’s all you need to know…

Has X Factor Boot Camp been cancelled?

According to various reports, the traditional Boot Camp stage of the show has been dropped for 2018.

A source told : “Every year producers look at refreshing the show and this was one of a number of changes brought in for this series along with others, such as the great new panel and the introduction of the ‘Golden X’ at the Six-Chair Challenge.”

This would mean that Series 15 would be the first in the history of the long-running singing competition not to include the Boot Camp stage.

Boot Camp usually served as the gateway between the auditions stage and the Six Chair Challenge and served up some of the show’s most dramatic moments in the past.

What round will replace it on the 2018 series?

As of yet, there is no confirmed intermittent stage between the auditions stage and the Six Chair Challenge.

However, Simon has made some changes to the format, with The Sun exclusively revealing earlier this summer that bosses are set to introduce the Golden X, similar to BGT’s Golden Buzzer. 

A show source said: “This year each of our judges has one Guaranteed Safe Seat to give away in this round.

“If the judge likes an act enough and they definitely want to see them at judges houses they’ll press this golden X and give that act a Safe Seat.

“This means the act cannot be swapped out of their chair and they’ll go straight through to judges houses.”

When is The X Factor 2018 on?

The X Factor made its big return on Saturday, September 1, at 8pm on ITV.

It was followed by another show on Sunday at the same time. It will air every Saturday and Sunday.

The X Factor 2018 judges are Simon Cowell, Louis Tomlinson, Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda Field after Nicole Scherzinger was axed from the show and Louis Walsh left.

Last year’s contest was won by Rak-Su who triumphed in the final over Grace Davies.