The X Factor (British TV series) series 11

The X Factor series 11 was a British television music competition that aired from 30 August to 13 December 2014 on ITV. It was the eleventh series of the UK version of The X Factor.

Judges and Presenters

The judging panel consisted of Simon Cowell, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini (formerly Cheryl Cole, returning to the show), Louis Walsh, and Mel B. Dermot O'Leary returned as the main presenter. Sarah-Jane Crawford replaced Caroline Flack as the presenter of The Xtra Factor on ITV2.

Auditions

Auditions took place in various cities across the United Kingdom.

Bootcamp and Judges' Houses

The bootcamp stage narrowed down the contestants further, after which the remaining contestants were divided into categories: Boys, Girls, Groups, and Over 25s (referred to as Over 26s in this series). Each category was mentored by one of the judges, who then selected their finalists to take to Judges' Houses.

Finalists

The finalists who made it through to the live shows were:

• Boys: Andrea Faustini, Ben Haenow, Jake Quickenden
• Girls: Lauren Platt, Lola Saunders, Stephanie Nala
• Groups: Only The Young, Stereo Kicks
• Over 26s: Fleur East, Jay James, Paul Akister, Stevi Ritchie

Live Shows

The live shows were broadcast weekly, culminating in the final. Each week, the contestants performed live, and the public voted for their favourite acts. The act with the fewest votes was eliminated, or in some cases, two acts were eliminated.

Winner

Ben Haenow was crowned the winner of The X Factor series 11.

Reception

The series received mixed reviews from critics. Some praised the revitalized judging panel and the talent of some of the contestants. Others criticized the show for being predictable and lacking originality.