The X Factor (British TV series) series 8
| The X Factor | |
|---|---|
| Series 8 | |
Series winner Little Mix (pictured in 2012) | |
| Hosted by | Dermot O'Leary (ITV) Caroline Flack (ITV2) Olly Murs (ITV2) |
| Judges | |
| Winner | Little Mix |
| Winning mentor | Tulisa |
| Runner-up | Marcus Collins |
| Finals venue | Wembley Arena |
| Release | |
| Original network | |
| Original release | 27 August – 11 December 2011 |
| Series chronology | |
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. The eighth series aired on ITV on 27 August 2011 and ended on 11 December 2011. Dermot O'Leary hosted the main show on ITV, while Caroline Flack and series 6 runner-up Olly Murs co-presented the spin-off show The Xtra Factor on ITV2. Louis Walsh returned to the judging panel and was joined by Gary Barlow, Kelly Rowland and Tulisa. Barlow, Rowland, Tulisa joined the panel replacing judges, Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole. Series 5 winner Alexandra Burke served as a guest judge for week 4 of the live shows due to Rowland having a throat infection.
Little Mix, a British four-piece girl group known earlier in the show as Rhythmix, was the first group to win the series. The group consisting of members Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jesy Nelson, and Perrie Edwards, and Jade Thirlwall, all auditioned as solo artists before being put together as a group by the judges. They went on to become the first girl group to make it past week seven of the live shows, the first girl group to reach the finals and the first girl group to win the show. The eighth series also won Most Popular Talent Show at the 17th National Television Awards on 25 January 2012.