'X Factor' boot camp begins

The X Factor boot camp kicks off tonight, with the successful auditionees brought together to battle it out under one roof.

In a change to the format, the judges will work as a team to whittle down the hopefuls to just 48 instead of having a separate camp for each category.

This year's boot camp will be held in two stages, with the 14-24 Boys, 14-24 Girls, Groups and Over-25s initially competing for 12 places per category at Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire.

The successful contestants will then be taken to London, where they will perform on stage at the Apollo Theatre to grab the final six spots in each group.

Judges Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue will have to wait until they have picked the finalists going through to the ‘Judges Houses’ stage before finding out which category they will mentor this year.

The X Factor airs at 6.05pm and 8.30pm tonight on ITV1.