Cancel all your plans for the rest of the year - The X Factor is back this weekend! We know – it’s TOO exciting!

What can we expect from this year’s series? Quite a few surprises by the sounds of things…

Head judge Gary Barlow has revealed that for once the category to watch is The Overs. We couldn’t quite believe it either, but after reading and re-reading his comments, we can confirm that it’s true.

“The category to watch is The Overs,” says the Take That frontman. “The Overs category hasn’t been taken that seriously in the last few years but it has turned into the biggest contender this year. The standard is superb.”

In fact Gary has such faith in The Overs that when asked who he’d want to mentor this year he had no hesitation,

“I think you can guess from everything I have said so far! The Overs, but if not them, then the Girls category,” he says.

New judge Nicole

The Overs being a category in contention to actually win isn’t the only big change to this year’s series. There’s a new judge too, and Gary says that Nicole Scherzinger is a welcome addition to the panel,

“She’s amazing – she feels like a Hollywood star. With all her experience in the industry and as a Judge on the US X Factor she hasdefinitely earned her place on this,” he raves about Nic.

Eeeeeeek! We can’t wait to tune in – The X Factor, ITV2, Saturday at 8pm.