X Factor 2025, live shows begin

After auditions, Bootcamp and Last Call, the “live” version of X Factor 2025 arrives. They start this evening, Thursday 23 October, on Sky and streaming on NOW, live from the X Factor Arena in Assago (Milan). 7 episodes to get to the final, which like last year will be held in Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples, with a free event open to the public: the date is December 4th.

The hosting is still entrusted to Giorgia, while the judges of this edition are Achille Lauro, Jake La Furia and Paola Iezzi and Francesco Gabbani: a jury that showed good chemistry in the first part – in continuity with the dynamics of last year. The new entry Gabbani seemed to gradually gain confidence and seemed at ease, competent, with a decidedly more ironic edge than his predecessor Manuel Agnelli – but it must also be said that the musical and biting criticisms of the leader of the Afterhours were missed. The audition mechanism was a bit stuck at the bootcamps, with a new face-down voting system that wasn’t exactly effective, and the “chairs” moved to the “last call”, where the teams were formed. During the selection process of the contestants, there was also some controversy from some excluded people who on their personal social networks said they had been “cut” and/or re-edited during the editing phase, altering the meaning of their performances or their words (you can find a detailed account of these cases here). The editing filter will obviously not be present in this phase of the show which is, in fact, live.

The guest of the first episode will be Annalisa, while the 12 contestants will perform every week in two rounds, featuring covers and original songs. In the next episodes, the themed evenings, the orchestral round, the “carousel” and the episode dedicated to unreleased songs will return. Each judge manages 3 competitors, two will go to the run-off, with the judges’ vote and possible televoting in case of a tie

These are the teams and the competitors

Achille Lauro:
Layana Oriot (25 years old, Carate Brianza); Copper Jittersband (Fabio Valvassori, Donato Sardone, Matteo Genesio Traisci, Matteo “Patty Red” Vazquez, from Milan); I wasCaddeo (Damiano Caddeo 24 years old, Cagliari=

Francesco Gabbani:
Tellydon’tcry (Giorgio Campagnoli 23 years old, San Venanzio, Bologna); Michelle Lufo (23 years old, Riccione); PierC (Piercesare Fagioli, 24 years old, Casale Monferrato, Alessandria)

Jake The Fury
Tomasi (16 years old, Marcon (Venice); Amanda Bottini (25 years old, Rome); Delia Buglisi (25 years old, Catania).

Paola Iezzi:

Vincent Viscardi (24 years old, Vico Equense, Naples); Rob (Roberta Scandurra, 19 years old, Catania) Mayu Lucisano (19 years old, Naples)

Where to see it and the production

The X Factor 2025 Live Shows will be broadcast every Thursday at 9.15pm on Sky Uno and streaming on NOW, with a free-to-air repeat the following Tuesday on TV8. The Ante Factor, hosted for the first time by Mariasole Pollio
The artistic direction of Du Laccio and Shake of Modulo Project, at the fifth edition of X Factor. Antonio Filippelli is the musical director, Luigi Antonini is the director, Ivan Pierri is the photography and Paola Spreafico is the set designer.
Project manager Paola Costa, executive producers Barnaby Boccoli, Barbara Gerli, Paolo Scarbaci. The television authors are Giacomo Carrera, Laura Mariani and Lorenzo Campagnari, with Elaine Henri, Alessandro Caruso, Anna Ferrajoli, Nadia Forini. Daily and backstage direction Adriano Galli, set designer Paola Spreafico, costume designer Maria Sabato, stylist Susanna Ausoni.