I see this has started again! I must admit to love watching the audition programmes to see the truly awful people who are on it. Such Fun!! I record it and then whizz through the boring bits. Once they go to boot camp and the live shows, I'm not longer interested and don't watch. Am I alone in this guilty pleasure? 
Local Councillors gone so far, Reform
but I like him in Take That
shysal must admit I do miss Simon, the judges are ok but not really believable, I think when Simon says something its genuine, but get the feeling the others are being told what to say. I've also been watching X factor USA, and agree that Simon and L.A Reid talk a lot of sense (must admit I didn't know who L.A Reid was until the show) but I see he is a well respected record producer and songwriter. I think the standard is much higher than ours, some amazing singers.