X Factor AU returning with new category

Image: X Factor judge Iggy Azalea

After last year’s ratings, there were rumblings at Channel Seven’s Sydney headquarters about whether to rest X Factor Australia this year and bring it back in 2017.

But it’s returning on Monday, October 3, and with significant changes. The biggest is the addition of a new Underdog category, giving a second chance to those who didn’t make the initial final cut.

While Seven is still teasing the identity of the fourth judge – “one of the world’s biggest superstars” – it is widely rumoured to be Mel B who was on the UK version of the show. Seems that the Spice Girl has mended fences with Seven after a three-year absence, and will be joining Guy Sebastian, Iggy Azalea, and Adam Lambert as a judge.

Seven successfully sued 41-year-old Melanie Brown for breach of contract in 2013 to block her joining Australia’s Got Talent on rival Channel 9.

But Mel B is a favourite of the show’s franchise owner Simon Cowell who likes her no-nonsense style.

In the meantime, Azalea looks like she’ll be the judge getting the most attention during the season. She’s raised the heckles of the Australian media with her comment that after living in the United States, she no longer has a “connection” with Australia.

To make things worse, when she returned to Australia last week for 24 hours to perform at a Google corporate party at the Sydney Hordern Pavilion (for which she reportedly got paid $250,000), she was allegedly seen at Airport Customs with an Australian passport.

That she also included conditions in interviews with journalists – including “no personal questions” – also suggests the media is going to be watching closely for any slip-ups from the act.