AXS TV Premieres 'The X Factor UK'

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cable's premier music entertainment channel AXS TV is the official U.S. broadcast home for the upcoming eleventh season of the international mega-hit The X Factor UK. AXS TV has signed an agreement with FremantleMedia International (FMI) and Syco Entertainment, bringing the flagship UK version of the popular singing competition to the United States for the first time ever. The brainchild of world-renowned producer and music expert Simon Cowell, The X Factor UK is co-produced by Syco Entertainment and Thames TV (part of FremantleMedia UK).

Season 11 will feature a pair of famous faces that will be instantly recognizable to American audiences, as Cowell makes his much anticipated return to the panel for the first time in three years. Additionally, former Spice Girl and America's Got Talent fan-favorite Mel B will make her first appearance as a full-time judge, after previously serving as a guest on the series. Joining the duo is UK pop singer Cheryl Fernandez-Versini who is also returning for the first time in three years, and esteemed music manager Louis Walsh, making his eleventh consecutive appearance since 2004. Award-winning broadcaster and host, Dermot O'Leary, will host the festivities, while also providing support to the aspiring stars.

The X Factor UK contestants compete in two sets of audition rounds, taking place across the UK in Manchester, London, Newcastle, and Edinburgh. In the initial closed room auditions, contestants will find themselves face-to-face with the judges for the first time. If they impress the panel and receive three or more "yes" votes, they will move on to perform in a packed arena in front of a live audience. AXS TV will air all 34 episodes of the series, beginning with the opening audition shows, in addition to special boot camp installments and live broadcasts.

The X Factor UK airs on AXS TV Sundays and Mondays starting August 31 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, 24 hours after the respective UK broadcasts. Each program will re-air the same night after the first broadcast.

THE X FACTOR Weekly Broadcast Schedule on AXS TV

Sundays
8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT   Episode 1 – US Premiere – August 31/same night re-air

Mondays
8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT   Episode 2 – US Premiere – September 1/same night re-air

The last season of The X Factor UK continued its ratings success, attracting up to 11.2 million viewers, and exceeding the UK's ITV's primetime average across all demographics—performing exceptionally well for young adults ages 16-34. Over the past decade, The X Factor UK has set the benchmark in finding worldwide superstars, producing acts such as chart-topping boy band sensation One Direction; Grammy-nominated "Bleeding Love" songstress Leona Lewis; and pop stars Olly Murs and Cher Lloyd; R&B quartet JLS; and Little Mix, the first group in the history of The X Factor to win the competition. To date, every X Factor UK winner has achieved a No. 1 single in the UK music charts.

"The X Factor UK is a perfect addition to the AXS TV lineup, as we continue to showcase the best music programming on television," said AXS TV founder Mark Cuban. "The level of talent that the series has produced is unprecedented, and to have Simon Cowell back as a judge – I'm confident that our audience will embrace these new stars wholeheartedly. I'm proud that AXS TV has the opportunity to be at the forefront of this popular music franchise to showcase talented vocalists."

Sheila Aguirre, SVP International Distribution, Latin America & US Hispanic, FremantleMedia International said: "The X Factor UK has been one of the most successful entertainment shows in the UK for over a decade. Each season, the series continues to pull in the big audiences and creates an incredible buzz. With the return of Simon Cowell, season 11 is primed to be one of the best seasons yet! We look forward to working with AXS TV to bring this staple of the UK's autumn schedule to the US."

"The X Factor UK is our flagship production and the world leader in entertainment formats," says George Levendis, Head of International for Syco Entertainment. "The show's production values are unmatched and it has created enormous buzz across the US social media over the last few years. This is the first time we are bringing the UK series to a US broadcaster. We are excited that fans of The X Factor will be able to follow the development of these future stars on AXS TV."

The X Factor is a global hit entertainment format that is now produced in 48 territories and has been watched by over 350 million viewers worldwide. The X Factor franchise has discovered and launched more international breakout artists than any other singing competition show, with X Factor artists amassing a combined global total of more than 160 million record sales. The Syco Entertainment owned and created format is co-produced/licensed by FremantleMedia worldwide.

A promo for the upcoming season is available here: http://bit.ly/1pXqZG9

ABOUT AXS TV
Launched in July 2012 by visionary entrepreneur Mark Cuban, AXS TV is dedicated to providing the best in music programming and festivals, comedy performances, current events and mixed martial arts promotions. AXS TV is a partnership between Mark Cuban, AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and CBS. The network is available in the United States via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite and telco providers. The network is also distributed in Canada and the Caribbean. For more information, visit the website, www.axs.tv; go to the Facebook page here and follow the company on Twitter, @axstv; on Instagram;  Tumblr  and YouTube.

AXS TV's companion network, HDNET Movies, is a linear TV channel and VOD service that delivers the ultimate film watching experience -- uncut and uninterrupted -- in high definition. Launched in 2003, HDNET Movies programs a diverse slate of box-office hits spanning the 1950s to 2000s. The network is widely distributed by major cable, telco and satellite TV providers in the U.S. For further information, visit www.hdnetmovies.com. 

ABOUT SYCO ENTERTAINMENT
Syco Entertainment is one of the world's leading music, film and television production companies. Responsible for the most successful global TV and music franchises in the world, Syco is the most successful producer of international talent with Syco Music being the UK's number 1 music label for sales and A&R. Syco is label-home for such diverse international recording artists as Labrinth, One Direction, Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, Sam Bailey, Little Mix, Il Divo, Fifth Harmony, James Arthur, Ella Henderson and Alex & Sierra. Syco's Television assets include the global hit franchises "The X Factor" and "Got Talent."

The Got Talent format is now officially the world's most successful reality TV format, breaking the Guinness World Records title for the highest number of adaptations, having been commissioned in an impressive 58 territories worldwide, which has now already risen to 63. America's Got Talent airs in 193 countries worldwide and was the #1 summer reality series of 2013, maintaining the leadership position it has held with NBC for the last four seasons. The finale of the eighth series of Britain's Got Talent in 2014 had a peak audience of 12.7 million and a 50% audience share with the show maintaining its position as the UK's top-rated Entertainment series.  Local versions of "The X Factor" are commissioned in 46 countries and around the world "The X Factor" is now watched by more than a half billion people. Artists discovered by the "X Factor" worldwide have sold more than 160 million records with The X Factor format creating more international stars than any other TV competition singing format  - including the world's biggest selling artists One Direction who were put together by mentor Simon Cowell on The X Factor (UK) in 2010.

In 2013 Syco produced its first movie (directed by Morgan Spurlock) the global box office hit "One Direction: This Is Us with Sony Pictures; an international all access look at life on the road with music phenomenon One Direction. Syco Entertainment have recently announced a development partnership Animal Logic (Lego, Great Gatsby, Happy Feet) to create music-based animated and hybrid animation-live action films with their first project, set for release in 2016, being developed by Sony Pictures Entertainment.

A groundbreaking new music show "Ultimate DJ" was announced in by SFX, T Mobile and Syco in April of 2014. The Syco-created competition series revolves around the booming electronic music culture, showcasing and cultivating fresh new EMC DJ/producer talent and creative event production skills.

ABOUT FREMANTLEMEDIA
FremantleMedia is one of the largest creators, producers and distributors of television brands in the world.  It is responsible for many of the world's highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama, factual entertainment and kids & family programming, with capabilities that extend from content creation to licensing, digital and branded entertainment, gaming and home entertainment. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia International, FremantleMedia Digital & Branded Entertainment, FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment, FremantleMedia North America, UFA, FremantleMedia UK, FremantleMedia Australia, Ludia, @radical.media and Original Productions, among others) has an outstanding global network with operations in 25 countries, creating over 8,500 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and airing 400  programmes a year worldwide. The company also distributes more than 20,000 hours of content in over 200 territories. FremantleMedia has some of the world's most famous and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally produces such programmes as: Idols, Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), Take Me Out, Hole In The Wall, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife, Through the Keyhole Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeite, Wentworth, Neighbours, Generation War, Salatut Elamat, Grand Designs, Project Runway, Tree Fu Tom and Strange Hill High.  FremantleMedia is part of RTL Group, the leading European entertainment network, which is in turn 75.1 percent owned by the international media company Bertelsmann. www.fremantlemedia.com

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SOURCE AXS TV