The X Factor (Arabic TV series)

The X Factor
Also known asMBC The X Factor
Created bySimon Cowell
Presented by
Nathalie Maamary (1)
Joelle Rahme (1–2)
Yosra El Lozy (3)
Bassel Alzaro (3–4)
Daniella Rahme (4)
Wael Mansour (4)
Sheema (5-6)
Judges
Nelly (1)
Khaled El Sheikh (1–2)
Michel Elefteriades (1–2)
Anoushka (2)
Carole Samaha (3)
Wael Kfoury (3)
Hussain Al Jasmi (3)
Elissa (3–4)
Ragheb Alama (4–6)
Donia Samir Ghanem (4)
Angham (5)
Abdallah Al Rowaished (5)
Rahma Riad (6)
Fayez Al Saeed (6)
Country of originArab World
No. of seasons6
Production
ProducersRotana
CBC
SYCOtv
MBC
INMedia Plus
Future Media Company
Imagic Group
Syco Entertainment
FremantleMedia
Mformedia
Running time60–120 minutes
Original release
NetworkLBC, Rotana (1–2)
CBC (3)
MBC1 (4)
Dubai TV (5-6)
Release
  • 26 March 2006 (2006-03-26) - 2007 (2007)
  • 21 February 2013 (2013-02-21) - 24 May 2013 (2013-05-24)
  • 14 March 2015 (2015-03-14) - 13 June 2015 (2015-06-13)
  • 3 September 2023 (2023-09-03) - 10 February 2025 (2025-02-10)

The X Factor Arabia, originally aired on March 26, 2006, with the title XSeer Al Najah (meaning Elixir or Essence of Success) is the Arab version of The X Factor. The Arabic-language version of the program also created by Simon Cowell has a similar format to the British version, in that there are judges who each have a team of contestants to mentor and compete with each other for the X Factor title. The 14-episode first series was broadcast in 22 Arabic-speaking countries. In its debut, it was known as being one of the most watched programs on television and was produced and supported by Rotana, one of the largest production companies in the Arab World. The winner of XSeer Al Najah earned a chance to sign with Rotana. However, with the continuing success of the rival pan-Arab series Star Academy on Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC), XSeer All Najah lost most of its pan-Arab appeal and was discontinued after season 2.

In 2012, the Egyptian TV channel CBC announced that The X Factor Arabia would return in 2013 with four judges: Elissa, Carole Samaha, Wael Kfoury, and Hussain Al Jasmi. Despite its revamped format, The X Factor Arabia struggled against its rival show MBC's Arab Idol which aired at the same time slot as The X Factor.

In 2014, MBC brought the rights for the show from CBC, revamped its format and started producing season four. Only Elissa as a judge and Bassel Alzaro as a host were retained from season three during MBC's restructure of the show. The judges on MBC The X Factor are Ragheb Alama, Elissa and Donia Samir Ghanem. The first episode aired on 14 March 2015 on MBC1 and MBC Masr.

In 2023, Dubai Media (Dubai TV) acquired the rights to produce and broadcast The X Factor in the Arab world. The 2023 panel featured Lebanese superstar Ragheb Alama, Egyptian singer Angham, and Kuwaiti singer Abdallah Al Rowaished. The inaugural season on Dubai TV concluded in January 2024, with Haneen Elshater announced as the winner.

The second season premiered on November 3, 2024. The grand finale took place on January 12, 2025. The show was produced by Mformedia in partnership with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism as part of the "DSF Nights" events. The panel featued two new judges - Rahma Riad and Fayez Al Saeed, along with returning judge Ragheb Alama. The title was won by Abdul Rahim Al-Halabi, a Syrian contestant who first gained fame as a child on The Voice Kids.

Series Overview

  •   Act in Nelly's Category
  •   Act in Khaled's Category
  •   Act in Michel's Category
  •   Act in Anoushka's Category
  •   Act in Elissa's Category
  •   Act in Carole's Category
  •   Act in Wael's Category
  •   Act in Hussain's Category
  •   Act in Ragheb's Category
  •   Act in Donia's Category
  •   Act in Angham's Category
  •   Act in Abdallah's Category
  •   Act in Rahma's Category
  •   Act in Fayez's Category
Season Start Finish Winner Other Finalists Winning mentor Host Judges (seating order)
1 6 February 2006 15 May 2006 Raja Kessabny
Over 25s
Ahmad
16-24s
N/a Nelly Artin Kalfayan Nathalie Maamary
Joelle Rahme
Nelly Khaled Michel N/a
2 29 May 2007 1 August 2007 Muhammad El Majzoub
16-24s
Bouchra
Over 25s
Anoushka Joelle Rahme Anoushka
3 21 February 2013 24 May 2013 Mohammed Rifi
Over 25s
Ibrahim Abdel Adim
Over 25s
Adham Nabulsi
Boys
Hussain Al Jasmi Yosra El Lozy
Bassel Alzaro
Elissa Carole Wael Hussain
4 14 March 2015 13 June 2015 Hamza Hawsawi
Solo International
Hind Ziad
Solo Arab
The 5
Groups
Ragheb Alama Bassel Alzaro
Wael Mansour
Daniella Rahme
Ragheb Elissa Donia N/a
5 3 September 2023 January 2024 Haneen Elshater
16-24s
Shaimaa Omran
Over 25s
Nasser & Hamdan Mohammed
Groups
Ragheb Alama Sheema Angham Abdallah
6 3 November 2024 12 January 2025 Abdul Rahim Al-Halabi Hashem Al-Raquad Majid Khalid Rahma Riad Rahma Fayez


Summary

In each series, each judge is allocated a category to mentor and chooses three acts to progress to the live finals. This table shows, for each series, which category each judge was allocated and which acts he or she put through to the live finals.

Key:

  – Winning judge/category. Winners are in bold, eliminated contestants in small font.
Season Year Nelly Khaled El Sheikh Michel Elefteriades
One 6 Feb - 15 May
2006
Over 25s
Maher
Raja Kessabny
Sherine
16-24s
Ahmad
Dora
Hala
Groups
Guitarista
Play
Prova
Season Year Anoushka Khaled El Sheikh Michel Elefteriades
Two 29 May - 1 August
2007
16-24s
Chamiyya C
Hala
Mahmoud
Muhammad El Majzoub
Over 25s
Bouchra
Ikram
Nisrine
Ousama
Groups
Nhas
Safaa & Hanaa
Trio
Twins
Season Year Elissa Carole Samaha Wael Kfoury Hussain Al Jasmi
Three 21 Feb - 24 May
2013
Girls
Imane Karkibou
Salwa Anlouf
Soumaya Turki
Groups
Young Pharoz
Maraya Band
Les Bledards Ninja
Boys
Adham Nabulsi
Al Muntasser Billah
Houssam Terchichi
Ali Hamed
Over 25s
Mohammed Rifi
Ibrahim Abdel Adim
Marwa Ahmed
Season Year Ragheb Alama Elissa Donia Samir Ghanem
Four 14 March - 13 June
2015
Solo International
Hamza Hawsawi
Latoya
Nedjim Mahtallah
Maria Nadim
Solo Arabic
Hind Ziadi
Majdi Sharif
Rania Jdidi
Nada Khalil
Groups
The5
GuitaNai
Mounib Band
Aves Band

Season 1 (2006)

Results summary

Colour key

  Act in team Nelly

  Act in team Khaled

  Act in team Michel

  – Act was in the bottom two and had to sing again in the final showdown
  – Act received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown)
  – Act received the most public votes
Weekly results per act
Act Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Quarter-Final Semi-Final Final
Raja Safe Safe Bottom Two Safe Safe Safe Safe Winner
Ahmed Safe Safe Safe Bottom Two Bottom Two Safe Safe Runner-up
Guitarista Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 3rd Eliminated
(semi-final)
Dora Bottom Two Safe Safe Safe Safe 4th Eliminated
(quarter-final)
Maher Safe Safe Safe Safe Bottom Two Eliminated
(week 5)
Play Safe Safe Safe Bottom Two Eliminated
(week 4)
Hala Safe Bottom Two Bottom Two Eliminated
(week 3)
Prova Safe Bottom Two Eliminated
(week 2)
Sherine Bottom Two Eliminated
(week 1)
Final Showdown No final showdown or judges' votes; results were based on public votes alone
Nelly's vote to eliminate (Groups)
Khaled's vote to eliminate (16-24s)
Michel's vote to eliminate (Over 25s)
Eliminated Sherine
2 of 3 votes
Majority
Prova
2 of 3 votes
Majority
Hala
2 of 3 votes
Majority
Play
2 of 3 votes
Majority
Maher
2 of 3 votes
Majority
Dora
Public vote
to save
Guitarista
Public vote
to save
Ahmed
Public vote
to win

Season 2 (2007)

Season 2 was won by Muhammad El Majzoub.

Season 3 (2013)

Colour key
  – Contestant was in the bottom two and had to sing again in the final showdown
  – Contestant received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown)
  – Contestant received the most public votes
Weekly results per contestant
Contestant Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
Round 1 Round 2
Mohammed Rifi 1st
24.66%
1st
23.42%
1st
25.44%
1st
33.08%
1st
32.03%
1st
33.50%
1st
31.18%
1st
35.11%
1st
46.16%
1st
61.16%
Winner
Ibrahim Abdel Adim 12th
1.36%
2nd
13.69%
6th
7.60%
7th
4.64%
5th
8.40%
4th
9.12%
3rd
15.22%
3rd
17.24%
2nd
19.62%
2nd
20.92%
Runner-Up
Adham Nabulsi 3rd
15.17%
5th
12.15%
3rd
14.64%
2nd
15.36%
2nd
21.12%
2nd
17.55%
2nd
18.34%
4th
15.12%
3rd
19.47%
3rd
17.39%
Eliminated
Young Pharoz 2nd
18.32%
6th
10.55%
5th
9.54%
4th
9.53%
4th
8.85%
3rd
13.12%
5th
13.46%
2nd
22.79%
4th
14.75%
Eliminated (week 9)
Imane Karkibou 5th
10.30%
3rd
13.63%
2nd
15.39%
5th
8.92%
7th
7.55%
7th
8.65%
4th
13.57%
5th
9.74%
Eliminated (week 8)
Salwa Anlouf 4th
13.17%
4th
12.52%
4th
11.06%
3rd
10.60%
3rd
10.00%
5th
9.05%
6th
8.23%
Eliminated (week 7)
Marwa Ahmed 8th
2.41%
7th
3.60%
7th
4.05%
6th
6.58%
6th
8.33%
6th
9.02%
Eliminated (week 6)
Maraya 7th
3.67%
9th
2.44%
9th
3.37%
8th
3.99%
8th
3.72%
Eliminated (week 5)
Al Muntasser Billah 11th
1.45%
10th
2.08%
10th
2.78%
9th
3.98%
Eliminated (week 4)
Houssam Terchichi 6th
5.24%
8th
2.86%
8th
3.81%
10th
3.31%
Eliminated (week 4)
Les Bledards Ninja 10th
1.56%
11th
1.72%
11th
2.32%
Eliminated (week 3)
Ali Hamed 9th
1.71%
12th
1.35%
Eliminated (week 2)
Soumaya Turki 13th
0.99%
Eliminated (week 1)
Final showdown Soumaya Turki,
Ibrahim Abdel Adim
Ali Hamed,
Les Bledards Ninja
Les Bledards Ninja,
Al Mountassir Billah
Al Mountassir Billah,
Maraya
Maraya,
Imane Karkibou
Imane Karkibou,
Marwa Ahmed
Salwa Anlouf,
Young Pharoz
Imane Karkibou,
Adham Nabulsi
No final showdown or judges' votes; results were based on public votes alone
Samaha's vote to save Ibrahim Abdel Adim Les Bledards Ninja Les Bledards Ninja Maraya Maraya Imane Karkibou Young Pharoz Adham Nabulsi
Kfoury's vote to save Ibrahim Abdel Adim Ali Hamed Al Mountassir Billah Al Mountassir Billah Imane Karkibou Imane Karkibou Young Pharoz Adham Nabulsi
Elissa's vote to save Soumaya Turki Les Bledards Ninja Al Mountassir Billah Al Mountassir Billah Imane Karkibou Imane Karkibou Salwa Anlouf Imane Karkibou
Al Jasmi's vote to save Ibrahim Abdel Adim Les Bledards Ninja Al Mountassir Billah Maraya Imane Karkibou Marwa Ahmed Young Pharoz Adham Nabulsi

Season 4 (2015)

References