With 15 seasons from 2004-2018, The X-Factor is one of the most successful reality shows of all time. A music competition where contestants have to compete against each other each week to win a record deal, the show has brought some hilariously bad auditions, as well as some of the biggest music artists of all time.
The likes of One Direction and Leona Lewis have all come from this series, but with the show come to an end, what else is there for fans of The X-Factor to check out? Whether it be about music, hilarious judging, or just a fun competition, here's 10 similar shows fans would enjoy.
The Masked Singer
Whether it's the American or UK version, this series is one that X-Factor fans are sure to love. The Masked Singer brings the fun competition element together with judges that have huge personalities in a great way. The twist here though is that it is celebrities as the singers, and not people trying to win a professional recording contract.
The series sees the celebrities hide their identities underneath lavish costumes, revealing small clues each week as the judges, and the audience at home, try to work out who is behind the mask. The element of mystery creates a fun guessing game that is a lot of fun to play along with and seeing different celebrities in a new light is always fun.
The Voice
The Voice has a very similar concept to The X-Factor, showcasing great singers to the world as they wow judges from the music industry. There's a twist here, though, as the judges listen to the artists without seeing them, having to pick purely based on their musical ability.
Once each judge has established their teams, this show then goes into competition mode, just like The X-Factor. People are eliminated each week, with the strongest singer left as the winner, and with the fun back and forth between the judges, this is one show fans are sure to love.
The Apprentice
The Apprentice has nothing to do with singing, but it is the competition and reality series aspects of it that make the two shows similar. In this show, budding businessmen and women compete to win a business partnership with Sir Alan Sugar, going through different tasks along the way.
The show follows them as they try to impress and prove their knowledge, with plenty of heated arguments taking place, especially in the boardroom with Sir Alan. These moments are similar to when the singers get heated with the judges, which is often one of the funniest parts of the show.
The Eurovision Song Contest
This competition takes place annually and sees different countries around Europe compete against each other in one of the biggest singing competitions in the world. Every country brings a different music artist and they always put on huge performances.
Each country then scores the performances, with the highest score taking home the prize. It's a true variety performance with a real range of singers and genres taking place, which is exactly what The X-Factor provides.
The Great British Baking Show
Similar to The Apprentice, The Great British Baking Show (known as The Great British Bake Off in the UK) brings the same competitive reality element as The X-Factor, just based around a different topic. This show is tons of fun to watch, and much like The X-Factor, it is quite light-hearted and easy to jump in and out of.
Each week, amateur bakers take on different challenges to try and one-up each other in a thrilling show that features some serious skill. Paul Hollywood is in the equivalent grumpy Simon Cowell role, while the hosts bring a lot of comedy to the series too.
Over The Rainbow
While The X-Factor is a reality series that focuses on pop music and artists who want to be on the charts, Over The Rainbow focuses on a different style of singing. This series is all about musical theatre, which is also a massive industry.
This series was run by Andrew Lloyd Webber as he looked to cast a brand new leading lady as Dorothy in his stage production of The Wizard Of Oz. Different singers battled against each other in what was a unique, but equally thrilling show.
American Idol
American Idol is a perfect series for fans who have an X-Factor-shaped void in their lives. It has an almost identical layout in terms of how the show is run, as aspiring singers battle it out to earn a record deal.
Simon Cowell has also been involved in this show as a judge, alongside other experienced names from the music industry. Just like The X-Factor, the show has some hilariously bad singers, but eventually some great performances to be enjoyed as well, with many major names being born out of this show.
Little Mix: The Search
Considering that Little Mix was a group that came from The X-Factor, it is a true full-circle moment that they now have a show of their own in which they look to put together a new band. This series follows the members of the popular girl band trying to put together a boyband in the same way that they were thrown together.
The show has different singers go through auditions as they try to end up in the final lineup, which sees them battle it out in the final competition. Seeing singers who have gone through a similar process as Little Mix is the draw to this show, which gives an insight into what the industry is really like.
Strictly Come Dancing
There's a reason that The X-Factor and Strictly Come Dancing were often seen as major competitors in the UK every year they aired, and that's because they're similar shows. Both reality shows target similar audiences, and although this show is about celebrities competing in a dancing competition, the way things are presented makes them familiar.
With a similar judging setup of one judge being quite harsh and others being more lighthearted, the show is a lot of fun to watch. There's also the enjoyment of seeing people make progress from novices to quality dancers, which is a fun journey.
Britain's Got Talent
One of the big draws for The X-Factor is Simon Cowell himself. He brings an element of entertainment all on his own with his harsh commentary and the way he judges people, as well as how he interacts with the other judges. If you like this part of The X-Factor, then Britain's Got Talent is the ideal reality series, as he's the lead judge on that show as well.
This series is similar to The X-Factor in its format, with auditions taking place and those that get through eventually being whittled down to just a few for live audience shows. However, the difference here is that it is open to all talents, not just singing, which makes it a true variety show.