It's time! To face! The swimming pools and perfectly kept lawns! It's always been our favourite phase of The X Factor and now the glorified game of musical chairs is mercifully over, this weekend sees the surviving 24 acts jet off to Judges' Houses.
Or Judges' Pretend Houses, as we prefer to call it, as they tend to be rented residences. You don't think Cowell and co would let the oiks into their real homes, do you?
There are opulent interiors and guest mentors. Tension gets eked out and tear-sodden hugs get issued. Someone always wears unwise shorts. Someone else dives into a pool with their clothes on. This year, there's even a ghost. We can't wait. But while we do, let's rewind the all-time highlights from Judges' Houses…
1. Sinitta turns over a new leaf (2009)
When the Overs - including a certain Olly Murs - turned up at Simon Cowell's LA mansion, they were greeted by his ex Sinitta. No surprise there. Except that she was clad only in a few strategically placed palm leaves. It brought a whole new meaning to the phrase "lady garden".
2. 1D are born (2010)
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It's a beautiful bouncing boyband! Let's call him One Direction! At Cowell's Marbella "holiday home", the five-piece formed at Boot Camp from rejected soloists came fully into being. They got a name, courtesy of Harry Styles, and sang Natalie Imbruglia's 'Torn' for their debut performance as a group. The rest is pop history.
3. It's Chico time. Just add water (2005)
Simon Cowell stormed out of the half-Moroccan male stripper's audition in disgust, but Chico Slimani won over viewers when he made it to Sharon Osbourne's Beverly Hills gaff as one of the Overs. She put him through after Chico's rendition of 'Livin' La Vida Loca' climaxed with him splashing around in a pool, still holding a live mic. Health & Safety nightmare.
4. Tulisa, creature from the deep (2014)
Guest mentors have arrived in helicopters, limos and speedboats, but none made more of an entrance than the N-Dubz diva. Louis Walsh gathered his Groups on a Bermuda beach to reveal his surprise sidekick. The ex-judge duly emerged from the sea in a white bikini, shot in slo-mo. It was like a Bond film. Albeit a low-budget one.
5. Rylan cries. Then cries some more (2012)
When Essex boy Rylan Clark made it to Dubai with Nicole Scherzinger's Boys, she picked him for her final three. Rylan promptly fell sobbing to the floor in a beyond-emotional breakdown. "I can't breeve! Promise me this ain't a wind-up! Aww Dermot, you're bang aht of order!" He even dried his eyes on a velvet cushion.
6. Hello, Kitty. Goodbye, Kitty (2011)
Kitty Brucknell made it to Barcelona as one of Louis' last six Overs. Priding herself on being a "controversial performer", mad Kitty belted out 'Beautiful Dancer', kicked off her shoes and exited through the swimming pool, still wearing her floor-length blue dress. LouLou said she'd be "a nightmare to mentor". Then put her through, obviously.
7. Gary Barlow's awkward bundle (2013)
After telling haircuts-on-legs Kingsland Road they were through, Gary Barlow half-heartedly tried to join in their celebrations on a New York rooftop. The group had a pile-on and Gaz briefly plopped himself on top, before realising it was a young man's game, dismounting and settling for an awkward back-slap. At least he didn't demand jelly and bare bums.
8. Cheryl, ready? Treyc, ready? (2010)
She might not have been able to spell her name properly but Brummie diva Treyc Cohen got through to Judges' Houses twice. She was knocked out in 2006, but made it through four years later as Cheryl Cole's wildcard. Before she performed, Chezza asked if she was ready. Treyc replied: "I'm ready." Cheryl said: "Whenever you're ready." Harry Hill's TV Burp put it on a loop.
The X Factor continues with Judges' Houses on Saturday (October 24) at 8pm on ITV and Sunday (October 25) at 7.30pm on ITV.
