The X Factor NZ - Season 1

The X Factor is a New Zealand television reality music competition, based on the original UK series, to find new singing talent. The first series premiered on TV3 on 21 April 2013 and ended on 22 July 2013. The show was open to singers aged 14 and over. The contestants were split into the show's four traditional categories: Boys, Girls, Over-25s and Groups. The winner was 22-year-old Greymouth singer Jackie Thomas, and her winner's single, "It's Worth It", was released the day of the final. As the winner, Thomas received a Sony Music Entertainment New Zealand recording contract and a new car. Runners-up Whenua Patuwai and Benny Tipene each released a single via Sony. Fourth-place-getters Moorhouse were also signed to Sony Music New Zealand, with plans for an album release by Christmas 2013. The series was hosted by Dominic Bowden. Recording artists Daniel Bedingfield, Melanie Blatt, Ruby Frost and Stan Walker were the show's four judges. Auckland student Georgie Wright was selected from over 100 applicants to present the show's behind-the-scenes video blog Samsung Insider. The initial pre-audition tour of 27 towns and cities was held in January and early February 2013, with the judges auditions round filmed in late February and early March, and the bootcamp filmed in mid-March in Auckland. The series screened on Sunday and Monday evenings.