# X Factor (Czech and Slovak TV series)

X Factor Slovakia is a reality television music competition based in Slovakia that aired on TV Prima and TV JOJ. As part of The X Factor franchise created by Simon Cowell and produced by Fremantle Media, the series finds new singing talent (solo artists and groups ages 12 and over), drawn from public auditions, and they compete against each other for votes. The winner is determined by the show's viewers SMS text voting and is awarded a recording contract worth €200,000.

## History

TV Prima and TV JOJ came to an agreement to license X Factor in 2011. Open casting was held in Slovakia and later in the Czech Republic around winter 2013. Four categories were presented in the first season: Boys, Girls, Groups and Over 28. Celeste Buckingham was announced first judge of judging panel on 3 January 2024, followed by Martin Rausch [sk] on 21 January. On 29 January, Sisa Sklovská, Ondřej Brzobohatý, and Oto Klempíř were added as judging panels.

## Castings
### Production casting in Slovakia

| City | Date | Place | Time |
| Bratislava, Slovakia | 14 December 2013 | Dom odborov, Trnavské Mýto 1 | 09.00–13.00 |
| Košice, Slovakia | 14 December 2013 | CVČ, prevádzka Popradská 86 | 09.00–12.00 |
| Námestovo, Slovakia | 14 December 2013 | Dom kultúry, Štefánikova 208/7 | 09.00–12.00 |
| Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia | 14 December 2013 | CVČ ADAM, Hutnícka ul. | 15.00–18.00 |
| Nitra, Slovakia | 14 December 2013 | Hotel Mikado, Hollého 11 | 15.00–18.00 |
| Komárno, Slovakia | 14 December 2013 | Dom Matice slovenskej, Nám. M. R. Štefánika 6 | 15.00–18.00 |
| Prešov, Slovakia | 15 December 2013 | Základná škola, Kúpeľná 2 | 09.00–12.00 |
| Banská Bystrica, Slovakia | 15 December 2013 | Hotel Arcade, Nám. SNP 5 | 09.00–12.00 |
| Trenčín, Slovakia | 15 December 2013 | Grand hotel, Palackého 3477 | 09.00–12.00 |
| Bardejov, Slovakia | 15 December 2013 | Gymnázium Leonarda Stӧckela, Jiráskova 12 | 14.00–17.00 |
| Nitra, Slovakia | 15 December 2013 | Hotel Mikado, Hollého 11 | 15.00–18.00 |
| Žilina, Slovakia | 15 December 2013 | Dom Odborov, Antona Bernoláka 51 | 15.00–18.00 |

### Producers casting in the Czech Republic

| City | Date | Place | Time |
| Jihlava, Czech Republic | 18 January 2014 | Křesťanská základní škola, nám. Svobody | 09.00–12.00 |
| Brno, Czech Republic | 18 January 2014 | Základní škola Rašínova, Rašínova | 15.00–19.00 |
| Plzeň, Czech Republic | 18 January 2014 | Benešova základní škola a mateřská škola, Doudlevecká | 09.00–12.00 |
| Praha 1, Czech Republic | 18 January 2014 | Vyšší odborná škola a Střední průmyslová škola dopravní, Masná | 15.00–21.00 |
| Olomouc, Czech Republic | 19 January 2014 | Základní škola a Mateřská škola logopedická, třída Svornosti | 15.00–21.00 |
| Ostrava, Czech Republic | 19 January 2014 | Střední škola elektrotechnická, Na Jízdárně | 16.00–19.00 |
| Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic | 19 January 2014 | Obchodní akademie a jazyková škola s právem státní jazykové zkoušky | 15.00–18.00 |
| Liberec, Czech Republic | 19 January 2014 | Základní škola s rozšířenou výukou jazyků, ul. Husova | 09.00–12.00 |
Castings in the Czech Republic were scheduled for December 14 and 15 but was held a month later. Open castings, which are already included as an official jury and the audience were filmed from February 3 to 10 in Bratislava Incheba Expo Arena.
| Bratislava | Bratislavaclass=notpageimage| Judges Casting | Bratislavaclass=notpageimage| Judges Casting |

## Boot-camp

This phase of the competition was filmed in between 10 and 12 February 2014 in Bratislava Incheba Expo Arena. The 20 successful acts were:
* Boys: Matěj Bláha, Lukáš Grüner, Tibor Gyurcsík, Tomáš Kaliarik, Matěj Vávra
* Girls: Kristína Kušnírová, Marina Laduda, Dáša Šarközyová, Katarína Ščevlíková, Anh La Thi Quynh
* Over 28s: Monika Agrebi, Peter Bažík, Brigita Szelidová, Bronislav Vařílek, Miroslaw Witkowski
* Groups: Crabslide, Lady Jam, Ricco & Claudia (duo), The Joy$, The Moment

## Judge houses

Five contestants from each category were invited to homes by their mentors, who have emerged two best in each category.
Summary of judges' houses :
| Judge | Category | Location | Assistant | Eliminated Contestants |
| Oto Klepíř | Groups | Music club SaSaZu (Prague) | Nightwork | Crabslide, Lady Jam, The Moment |
| Ondřej Brzobohatý | Girls | Obecní dům (Prague) | Karel Gott | Kristína Kušnírová, Dáša Šarközyová, Anh La Thi Quynh |
| Celeste Buckingham | Boys | Kempinsky River Park (Bratislava) | Richard Müller | Matěj Bláha, Lukáš Grüner, Tomáš Kaliarik |
| Sisa Sklovská | Over 28s | Sisa's home (Bratislava) | Helena Vondráčková | Monika Agrebi, Bronislav Vařílek, Miroslaw Witkowski |

## Contestants
### Key

    – Winner
    – Runner-up
| Category (mentor) | Acts | Acts |
| Boys (Buckingham) | Tibor Gyurcsík | Matěj Vávra |
| Girls (Brzobohatý) | Marina Laduda | Katarína Ščevlíková |
| Over 28s (Sklovská) | Peter Bažík | Brigita Szelidová |
| Groups (Klempíř) | Ricco & Claudia | The Joy$ |

## Live shows
### Results summary
#### Key

    – Contestant in the bottom two and had to sing again in the final showdown
    – Contestant receiving the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown)
    – Contestant receiving the most public votes
Weekly results per contestant :
| Contestant | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 3 | Week 3 |
| Contestant | Week 1 | Week 2 | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 |
| Peter Bažík | Safe | Safe | Safe | Safe | Winner (week 3) |
| Ricco & Claudia | Safe | Safe | Safe | Safe | Runner-up (week 3) |
| Tibor Gyurcsík | Safe | Safe | Safe | 3rd | Eliminated (week 3) |
| Katarína Ščevlíková | Safe | Safe | Bottom three | Eliminated (week 3) | Eliminated (week 3) |
| The Joy$ | Safe | Safe | Bottom three | Eliminated (week 3) | Eliminated (week 3) |
| Matěj Vávra | Bottom two | 6th | Bottom three | Eliminated (week 3) | Eliminated (week 3) |
| Brigita Szelidová | Safe | 7th | Eliminated (week 2) | Eliminated (week 2) | Eliminated (week 2) |
| Marina Laduda | Bottom two | Eliminated (week 1) | Eliminated (week 1) | Eliminated (week 1) | Eliminated (week 1) |
| Final showdown | Marina Laduda | Brigita Szelidová | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone |
| Final showdown | Matěj Vávra | Matěj Vávra | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone |
| Brzobohatý's vote to eliminate | Matěj Vávra | Brigita Szelidová | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone |
| Buckingham's vote to eliminate | Marina Laduda | Brigita Szelidová | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone |
| Sklovská's vote to eliminate | Marina Laduda | Matěj Vávra | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone |
| Klempíř's vote to eliminate | Marina Laduda | Matěj Vávra | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone | Final showdown or judges' votes: results were based on public votes alone |
| Eliminated | Marina Laduda 3 of 4 votes Majority | Brigita Szelidová 2 of 4 votes Deadlock | The Joy$ Public vote to save | Tibor Gyurcsík Public vote to win | Ricco & Claudia Public vote to win |
| Eliminated | Marina Laduda 3 of 4 votes Majority | Brigita Szelidová 2 of 4 votes Deadlock | Katarína Ščevlíková Public vote to save | Tibor Gyurcsík Public vote to win | Ricco & Claudia Public vote to win |
| Eliminated | Marina Laduda 3 of 4 votes Majority | Brigita Szelidová 2 of 4 votes Deadlock | Matěj Vávra Public vote to save | Tibor Gyurcsík Public vote to win | Ricco & Claudia Public vote to win |

#### Week 1 (May 11)

* Theme: Absolute hits
* Musical guests: Celeste Buckingham
Contestants' performances on the first live show :
| Act | Order | Song | Result |
| The Joy$ | 1 | "How We Do (Party)" | Safe |
| Tibor Gyurcsík | 2 | "Breakeven" | Safe |
| Peter Bažík | 3 | "Love Me Again" | Safe |
| Marina Laduda | 4 | "Like a Virgin" | Bottom two |
| Ricco & Claudia | 5 | "Hallelujah" | Safe |
| Katarína Ščevlíková | 6 | "Where Is the Love?" | Safe |
| Matěj Vávra | 7 | "Sexy and I Know It" | Bottom two |
| Brigita Szelidová | 8 | "You Are So Beautiful" | Safe |
| Sing-off details ||||
| Matěj Vávra | 1 | "Give Me Love" | Safe |
| Marina Laduda | 2 | "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" | Eliminated |

##### Judges' votes to eliminate

* Brzobohatý: Matěj Vávra
* Buckingham: Marina Laduda
* Sklovská: Marina Laduda
* Klempíř: Marina Laduda

#### Week 2 (May 18)

* Theme: Dedication songs
* Musical guests: Ondřej Brzobohatý a Peter Cmorík, Peter Bič Project
Contestants performances in the second live show :
| Act | Order | Song | Result |
| Tibor Gyurcsík | 1 | "Save the World" | Safe |
| Brigita Szelidová | 2 | "When I Fall in Love" | Bottom two |
| The Joy$ | 3 | "I Love It" | Safe |
| Peter Bažík | 4 | "Wake Me Up" | Safe |
| Katarína Ščevlíková | 5 | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" | Safe |
| Matěj Vávra | 6 | "You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You" | Bottom two |
| Ricco & Claudia | 7 | "Purple Rain" | Safe |
| Sing-off details ||||
| Brigita Szelidová | 1 | "Let It Be" | Eliminated |
| Matěj Vávra | 2 | "Incomplete" | Safe |

#### Week 3: Final (May 25)

* Theme: Free choice; Mentor duet; Winner's song
* Musical guests: Richard Müller and Fragile

##### Part 1

Contestants performances in the third live show :
| Act | Order | Free choice song | Result |
| Katarína Ščevlíková | 1 | "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" | Eliminated |
| Matěj Vávra | 2 | "Earth Song" | Eliminated |
| The Joy$ | 3 | "Diamonds" | Eliminated |
| Tibor Gyurcsík | 4 | "Skyfall" | Safe |
| Ricco & Claudia | 5 | "Je Suis Malade" | Safe |
| Peter Bažík | 6 | "Locked Out of Heaven" | Safe |

##### Part 2

Contestants' performances on the third live show :
| Act | Order | Mentor duet song | Order | Winner's song | Result |
| Peter Bažík | 1 | "Proud Mary" (with Sisa Sklovská) | 4 | "When I Was Your Man" | Winner |
| Ricco & Claudia | 2 | "Read All About It" (with Oto Klempíř) | 5 | "Hoy Tengo Ganas de Ti" | Runner-up |
| Tibor Gyurcsík | 3 | "Say Something" (with Celeste Buckingham) | N/A (already eliminated) | N/A (already eliminated) | Eliminated |