More details have been released about Simon Cowell's X Factor, billed as the "biggest ever TV talent show."

In the show - which is the headliner of ITV's autumn schedule - Cowell will compete against Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne to discover the next big singing sensation.

The trio will sit through auditions from around the country, with acts falling into three categories: ‘16-25 solo’, ’25 and over solo’ and ‘groups’.

From the initial 50,000 applicants, just 120 will make it onto the next round, a two-day intensive boot camp. Each judge will be responsible for one group, but won't be told which until the first day of the boot camp.

Only 5 acts from each group will be left standing at the end of boot camp. They will then visit the home of their judge, whom - with the aid of three specifically chosen experts - will eliminate another two.

The three remaining acts in each group get to move on to the live finals.

Kate Thornton will be hosting the main ITV1 shows while GMTV's Ben Shephard will front ITV2's Xtra Factor companion series.