Television

The X Factor UK brings back Sharon Osbourne, introduces new audition format via Rickey.org Credit: ITV The X Factor UK is introducing some interesting changes for its upcoming 10th season. Though the changes begin at the judging panel, they don’t end there. Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne is officially returning to the show, alongside Take That singer Gary Barlow, US pop star Nicole Scherzinger and manager Louis Walsh. (I’m surprised they got Gary back. The cycle of news reports touting his desire to leave have been out there in the ether since midway into his first season) Award-winning host Dermot O’Leary is also confirmed to return for the 10th season. As for the competition itself, new changes are in store for the audition phase. For the first time ever, hopefuls will have to go through two sets of auditions. In the first audition, they will sing for the judges face-to-face in an audition room (a round not seen since the earliest seasons of The X Factor, when the audition phase was more reminiscent of the Idol franchise). If they receive three or more yeses, they will advance to the next audition round. In the classic X Factor audition phase, hopefuls will perform in an arena “to prove they can also impress an audience before securing a coveted place at the next stage in the competition.” Show creator Simon Cowell released a statement about Osbourne’s return to the long-running singing competition: “Three words I never thought I’d say…. Welcome back Sharon!” Meanwhile, Osbourne herself, who served as a consultant last season for Louis Walsh’s Groups category, spoke up about her return: “I couldn’t be happier about coming back for the 10th anniversary of X Factor. I can’t wait to give Gary Barlow a big hug, sit next to the gorgeous Nicole, and of course throw water on dear Louis. Yay!” Open calls for the auditions have already begun for the 10th season, and the judges will be joining the proceedings starting June 4th in Glasgow, before visiting Birmingham, Manchester, London and Cardiff. This will be followed by the second stage of judges’ arena auditions in July. Via: ITV Press Release The Voice • American Idol • The X Factor

‘Idology’: Season Finale highs and lows, and suggestions for Season 13 via Rickey.org Credit: TVLine TVLine’s resident American Idol expert, is back for the season finale of Idology alongside season 6 finalist Melinda Doolittle. This week, Michael and Melinda discuss the highs and lows of the finale, and fire back against commenters who claim that Candice and Kree were a boring final two. In addition, the hosts discuss potential changes for season 13. It’s the last episode of Idology this season! So check it out below (via TVLine): Thoughts: I agree on the “honesty” part of their suggestions for season 13. I’m of the mind that the only thing they really need to do to revive the brand is to simply let the process unfold organically. Part of what drove so many viewers away this season was the fact that the producer-crafted narrative was obvious right from the start. The decision was made that a girl would win this season, and every effort was taken to ensure that this would be the outcome. And while The Season of the Girls makes for a nice little story, it only works if that story is an organic one. The production really did a disservice to the wealth of female talent this season by stacking the deck so high against the guys, because some viewers will now place an asterisk next to Candice Glover’s name in the Idol record book, implying that she only triumphed thanks to the producers storyboarding a female winner from the beginning. Of course, I’m not one of those people. And regardless, I don’t think there was any male that made it to Hollywood this season that could have prevented a female win anyway, all things considered. This is why I’m so disappointed that this season is being depicted, in several places around the web, as the season that needed to cheat to get a female winner, since I’m largely convinced it would have happened anyway. Sure, competitions like this always have a certain amount of manipulation, but it was taken to an entirely different level this season: between the bussing of the guys to the forthright commitment to making Amber Holcomb happen, this was the most manipulative the show has gotten since Randy said that round one was a tie between Scotty, Lauren and James. And when viewers can see that the fix is in, it can hardly be a surprise that they change the channel. I also think another way to rejuvenate the franchise is to just let contestants be themselves. The best moments are when the fingerprints of the Idol production are nowhere to be seen, and contestants are simply allowed to do what they naturally would do as artists. Phillip Phillips had to fight to get the show to clear Damien Rice’s “Volcano” for Songs You Wish You Wrote last season, while Melinda Doolittle herself has detailed how the Idol band basically ignored her arrangement requests. As she explained in an episode of Idology a few weeks back, “Even though I would say ‘This is not exactly what I asked for,’ it was what they wanted to play, and so it’s what they played,” While it’s a different band with a different leader now, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the ideology is the same, particularly when you have guys like Lazaro talking about how the band introduced a key change in “Close to You” five minutes before he was to go onstage (whether you believe it or not is up to you, but I’m inclined to buy it, if only because it was such a jarring key change and Lazaro genuinely didn’t seem prepared for it in the least). Nothing is gained by forcing contestants into a very narrow mold, especially when you’re depending on these contestants to sell records and concert tickets when the competition is over (never mind counting on them to draw ratings). Two of Idol’s best seasons (7 and 8) largely featured contestants who were given the freedom to be themselves. There was

Starz/BBC series The White Queen will debut on Starz on Saturday, August 10, following the Friday season finale of Magic City.Source: Deadline

Bill O'Reilly told Jon Stewart that he's been "too easy" on President Obama, and that recent cases of the Justice Department spying on reporters proves it. Meetings between O'Reilly and Stewart are always great television: The liberal and conservative hosts have learned to play off each other and even occasionally find common ground, as they did on Wednesday's "Daily Show." Related Articles: Bill O'Reilly Condemns Jon Stewart to Hell -- But He's Already There (Video) 'Killing Jesus': Move Over, New Testament - Bill O'Reilly Has a Fresh Take on the Death of Christ read more

After a sun dappled excursion to Hawaii with his most recent family drama "The Descendants," Alexander Payne returns to his native Midwest in the aptly named "Nebraska," which debuted Thursday at the Cannes Film Festival. It's another story of estranged parents and children and another road movie for an idiosyncratic director who has made a name for himself by contorting and collapsing the reliable genres to find something fresh and human in films like "Sideways" and "About Schmidt." Related Articles: Cannes Review: 'The Bling Ring' Rips Open the Fame Game Cannes Review: In 'Nebraska,' Alexander Payne Paints an American Life Ryan Gosling's 'Only God Forgives': Critics Really, Really Hate the Crime Drama read more

ABC and CBS tied for the number one network in adults 18-49 while CBS was on top with total viewers.

Jaime J. Weinman on the lesser known details of the series, whose new season airs this Sunday

Episode 2.12 - Distorted House Ty and Bay reconnect; Kathryn and Daphne take part in a tennis tournament.Episode 2.13 - The Good Samaritan Bay tries to reignite Toby's love for music by landing him a gig; Bay and Daphne's relationship begins to heal.Source: SpoilerTV

Vin Diesel's still got it, at least according to the women in Jay Leno's audience. Oh, and Leno himself, who swooned over Diesel's cover photo on this month's Men's Fitness magazine. Leno comically referred to the workout magazine as "my bible." The segments got even more charming -- and slightly weirder -- from there. Related Articles: Vin Diesel Battles an Army of Bounty Hunters in 'Riddick' Trailer (Video) 'Fast & Furious 6' Full Trailer Takes Action to 'a Whole New Level' - Of Ridiculous (Video) Vin Diesel to Star in, Produce MGM's 'The Machine' read more

The opener kick-starts "the season in a great way," Peregrym tells THR.read more