The X Factor (Greek TV series)

The X Factor
GenreInteractive reality talent show
Created bySimon Cowell
Presented by
Judges
Country of originGreece
Cyprus
Original languageGreek
No. of series7
Production
ProducersANT1 (1-3)
Skai TV (4-5)
Open TV (6)
Mega Channel (7)
Original release
NetworkGreece
ANT1 (1-3)
Skai TV (4-5)
Open TV (6)
Mega Channel (7)
Cyprus
ANT1 Cyprus (1-3)
Sigma TV (4-5)
Omega TV (6)
Alpha TV Cyprus (7)
Release4 October 2008 (2008-10-04) –
11 February 2011 (2011-02-11)
Release4 April 2016 (2016-04-04) –
20 July 2017 (2017-07-20)
Release11 September 2019 (2019-09-11) –
10 July 2022 (2022-07-10)

The X Factor is the Greek version of The X Factor, a show originating in the United Kingdom. It is a television music talent show contested by aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions.

Auditions are held in Greece in the cities of Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as in Cyprus in the city of Nicosia. Auditions for the third X Factor were also held in New York City. Applicants from the Greek diaspora are also accepted.

The show was broadcast live in Greece and Cyprus, as well as abroad via ANT1's international stations, for the first three seasons. For the fourth and fifth season was broadcast live in Greece via Skai TV and in Cyprus via Sigma TV. The sixth season was broadcast live in Greece via Open TV and in Cyprus via Omega.[1] The seventh season began airing on 18 March 2022 on Mega Channel and on Alpha TV Cyprus.[2]

The winners of the show are: in the 1st season was Loukas Yorkas, in the 2nd was Stavros Michalakakos, in the 3rd was Harry Antoniou, in the 4th was Andreas Leontas, in the 5th was Panagiotis Koufogiannis, in the 6th was Giannis Grosis and in the 7th was Katerina Lazaridou.

Stages

[edit]

There are four stages to the competition:

  • Stage 1: Judges' auditions – either in an audition room (series 1–3, 5, 7) or an arena (series 4, 6)
  • Stage 2: Bootcamp
  • Stage 3: Judges Houses (Series 1–3)
  • Stage 3: Four-Chair Challenge (Series 4–7)
  • Stage 4: Live Shows (Finals)

Judges and presenters

[edit]
Main Presenters
Backstage Presenters
  • Giorgos Lianos: 2008–2011
  • Despina Kampouri: 2008–2010
  • Maria Sinatsaki: 2010–2011
  • Evangelia Aravani: 2016–2017
  • Aris Makris: 2019
  • Ilias Bogdanos: 2022
  • Katerina Lioliou: 2022
Judges
Guest Judges
  1. ^ a b Mouratidis returned as a guest judge for the 4th and 5th live episodes in 2022.
  2. ^ Psinakis served as judge only on the live shows in 2022.

Series overview

[edit]

To date, five series have been broadcast, as summarised below.

  Contestant in "Nikos Mouratidis"
  Contestant in "Katarina Gagaki"
  Contestant in "George Levendis"
  Contestant in "Giorgos Theofanous"
  Contestant in "Tamta"
  Contestant in "Peggy Zina"
  Contestant in "Thodoris Marantinis"
  Contestant in "Babis Stokas"
  Contestant in "Giorgos Papadopoulos"
  Contestant in "Giorgos Mazonakis"
  Contestant in "Christos Mastoras"
  Contestant in "Melina Aslanidou"
  Contestant in "Michael Tsaousopoulos"
  Contestant in "Mariza Rizou"
  Contestant in "Michalis Kouinelis"
  Contestant in "Stelios Rokkos"

Series First aired Last aired Winner Runner-up Third place Fourth place Winning mentor Presenter Co-Host Main judges (Seat order)
1 2 3 4
1 4 October 2008 30 January 2009 Loukas Yorkas
Boys 16-24s
Nikolas Metaxas
Boys 16-24s
Triimitonio
Groups
Kokkina Xalia
Groups
Katerina Gagaki Sakis Rouvas Giorgos Lianos
Despina Kampouri
Nikos Katerina George Giorgos T.
2 2 October 2009 12 February 2010 Stavros Michalakakos
Boys 16-24s
Nini Shermadini
Girls 16-24s
48 Ores
Groups
Eleni Alexandri
Over 25s
Nikos Mouratidis
3 10 October 2010 11 February 2011 Haris Antoniou
Boys 16-24s
Alexandros Notas
Over 25s
Nikki Ponte
Girls 16-24s
T.U.
Groups
George Levendis Giorgos Lianos
Maria Sinatsaki
4 4 April 2016 8 July 2016 Andreas Leontas
Boys 16-24s
Ian Stratis
Boys 16-24s
Stereo Soul
Groups
Tania Breazou
Girls 16-24s
Giorgos Theofanous Evangelia Aravani Thodoris Tamta Peggy
5 27 April 2017 20 July 2017 Panagiotis Koufogiannis
Over 25s
Soula Evagelou
Girls 16-24s
Dee Vibes
Groups
Vasilis Porfyrakis
Over 25s
Giorgos Mazonakis Babis Giorgos P. Tamta Giorgos M.
6 11 September 2019 19 December 2019 Giannis Grosis
Boys 16-24s
Dimitris Papatsakonas
Boys 16-24s
AC²
Groups
Konstantinos Stinis
Over 25s
Christos Mastoras Despina Vandi Aris Makris Michael Christos Melina Giorgos T.
7 18 March 2022 10 July 2022 Katerina Lazaridou Aggelos Archaniotakis Elena Panagiotidou Christos Adamopoulos Andreas Georgiou Ilias Bogdanos
Katerina Lioliou
Stelios Michalis Christos Mariza

Judges' categories and their contestants

[edit]

Key:

  – Winning judge/category. Winners are in bold, other contestants in small font.
Series Nikos Mouratidis Katerina Gagaki George Levendis Giorgos Theofanous
1 Over 25s
Kelly Kaltsi
Konstantinos Tsimouris
Giorgos Klakoumanos
Vasiliki Tsiomi
Boys 16-24s
Loukas Yorkas
Nikolas Metaxas
Louis Georgiou
Christos Kalliatsas
Girls 16-24s
Ioanna Protopappa
Eirini Papadopoulou
Polyxeni Bifsa
Anthi Simiou
Groups
Triimitonio
Kokkina Halia
Juke Box
Crowns
2 Boys 16-24s
Stavros Michalakakos
Hovig Demirjian
Nikiforos
Dimitris Maniatis
Over 25s
Eleni Alexandri
Polina Christodoulou
Elena Andreou
Harikleia Charitsavvidou
Groups
48 Ores
Pale Faces
360 Moires
X-odos
Girls 16-24s
Nini Shermadini
Ivi Adamou
Eleftheria Eleftheriou
Giouli Tassou
3 Over 25s
Alexandros Notas
Grigoris Georgiou
Elena Anagiotou
Patrick Guibert
Girls 16-24s
Nikki Ponte
Maria Katikaridou
Kirki Katsarou
Elena Georgiou
Boys 16-24
Haris Antoniou
Dimitris Theodorakoglou
Kostantinos Anastasiadis
Alexis Zafeirakis
Groups
T.U
The Burning Sticks
Revolt
Tik Tok
4 Thodoris Marantinis Tamta Peggy Zina Giorgos Theofanous
Groups
Stereo Soul
Aftoi & Afti
N.M.A.
Gazoza
Girls 16-24
Tania Breazou
Christiana Mpounia
Christina Zanti
Eleni Koskina
Over 25s
Noena
Alexandros Pitsanis
Pilatos Kounatidis
Giorgos Stefanou
Boys 16-24
Andreas Leontas
Ian Stratis
Antonis Fokas
Giorgos Papanastasiou
5 Babis Stokas Giorgos Papadopoulos Tamta Giorgos Mazonakis
Groups
Dee Vibes
Coda Project
Radiowaves
Human Factory
Girls 16-24
Soula Evagelou
Thalia Tsiatini
Marianna Plachoura
Kassiani Dalia
Boys 16-24
Konstantinos Notas
Alexandros Sagouris
Savas Savidis
Angelos Provelegiadis
Over 25s
Panagiotis Koufogiannis
Vasilis Porfyrakis
Marianna Georgiadou
Alexandra Matsi
6 Michael Tsaousopoulos Christos Mastoras Melina Aslanidou Giorgos Theofanous
Girls 16-24
Zoi Misel Bakiri
Konstantina Aresti
Mary Vassiliadou
Viky Mariolou
Boys 16-24
Giannis Grosis
Dimitris Papatsakonas
Giannis Tergiakis
Giorgos Papanastasiou
Over 25s
Konstantinos Stinis
Lila Trianti
Giannis Antzouris
Nektarios Rigas
Groups
AC²
Ano Kato
Liak and the Cover
DAF
7 Stelios Rokkos Michalis Kouinelis Christos Mastoras Mariza Rizou
Elena Panagiotidou
Thanos Lambrou
JCJO
Decho
Giname
Giannis Onisiforou
Miltos Charovas
Ioli Pedara
Katerina Lazaridou
Konstantinos Ntasios
Borek
Aristea Alexandraki
Aggelos Archaniotakis
Christos Adamopoulos
Evelina Katsiakou
Case Zero

Series overview

[edit]

Series 1 (2008–2009)

[edit]

The first series of the Greek X Factor started airing in October 2008 on ANT1 and was hosted by singer Sakis Rouvas. The judges were Giorgos Levendis, songwriter Giorgos Theofanous, marketing executive of ANT1 TV, Katerina Gagaki and music critic Nikos Mouratidis.

The winner of the 1st X-Factor was Loukas Yorkas from Cyprus who released his debut EP album in September 2009.

Series 2 (2009–2010)

[edit]

A second series of X Factor was broadcasteby ANT1 TV. The live shows debuted on October 30. The host and the judges remain the same as in the first series. The winner of the 2nd X-Factor was Stavros Michalakakos from Cyprus.

Series 3 (2010–2011)

[edit]

A third season of X Factor was broadcast from October 2010 to February 2011. The third series of X Factor was won by Haris Antoniou from Cyprus. The program was broadcast by ANT1 TV and the host and the judges remained the same as the previous year.

Series 4 (2016)

[edit]

A fourth season of X Factor was broadcast from 4 April to 8 July 2016 on Skai TV. The host Sakis Rouvas remained with Evaggelia Aravani in backstage. Giorgos Theofanous remained from the judges of the past seasons with Peggy Zina, Tamta and Thodoris Marantinis from Onirama being the new judges. The winner of this series was Andreas Leontas from Cyprus.

Series 5 (2017)

[edit]

A fifth season of X Factor was broadcast from April 27 to July 20, 2017 on Skai TV. The host Sakis Rouvas remained with Evaggelia Aravani in backstage. Tamta remained from the judges of the past seasons with Giorgos Mazonakis, Giorgos Papadopoulos and Babis Stokas being the new judges. The winner of this series was Panagiotis Koufogiannis from Cyprus.

Series 6 (2019)

[edit]

A sixth season of X Factor began broadcast from 11 September 2019 on Open TV. The judges are Giorgos Theofanous, who returned for his fifth series as judge, former The Voice of Greece coach Melina Aslanidou, former Rising Star judge Christos Mastoras and Athens DeeJay Michael Tsaousopoulos. Despina Vandi will be the host, replacing Sakis Rouvas. Aris Makris is presenting the Backstage of Live Shows, replacing Evaggelia Aravani.[3][4] This was the first edition in which a contenstant from Greece managed to win as in all previous editions the winner was a singer coming from Cyprus.

Series 7 (2022)

[edit]

A seventh season of The X Factor began broadcast from 18 March 2022 on Mega Channel. Christos Mastoras, returned for his second season as judge, and with the three new judges, Mariza Rizou, Stelios Rokkos and Michalis Kouinelis. Andreas Georgiou hosted the live shows. Ilias Bogdanos and Katerina Lioliou were presenting the backstage of Live Shows.[5]

See also

[edit]
[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "To ήθελε ο ΑΝΤ1, αλλά το πήρε το..." TV Nea. March 13, 2018.
  2. ^ ""Χ Factor" – Έρχεται στο Mega – Δηλώστε συμμετοχή". MEGA. November 1, 2021.
  3. ^ "H Δέσποινα Βανδή στο Epsilon και στη σκηνή του "X-Factor"". Reader. June 25, 2018.
  4. ^ "X-factor: Οι πρώτες δηλώσεις της Βανδή και των κριτών του talent show". 2019-03-05.
  5. ^ "Πρεμιέρα την Παρασκευή 18 Μαρτίου για το X-Factor στο MEGA". 17 March 2022.