So… Sharon Osbourne has decided not continue with the X-Factor.

About time.

Its not that I dislike the woman, in fact I think she’s a very good personality for television. She’s light-hearted, has a good sense of humour, is fun, fair and sensitive to others’ feelings. But was she right for x-factor? No. She was terrible. This is highlighted by the fact that in four years only one of her candidates ever came close to winning, even when she at some excellent acts. Why is this? Why is it that someone who is suppose to be so tuned up on the music industry is unable to make the right choices when it comes to song choice, or picking who is going through the live shows? Because ultimately that is what it comes down to.

In the last series, she chose from personality, looks and what she THOUGHT the public would go for, rather than actual singing talent. For example, why would you NOT choose Kimberley Howlett, who can sing like a professional, yet put in Emily Nakanda who never managed to perform as well as her first audition for the rest of her (short) time on the show? In order for Sharon to ever win she has to realise that it isn’t about glory and fighting with Simon and Louis about who’s act is better, but more about the fact that the public what to see this as an singing contest, with a bit of fun and competitiveness thrown in – not the other way around. If someone can really sing, the public will appreciate them, not whether they look cute, talk well, have a unique personality or not.

Another issue is the songs she chooses for her acts. If she spent a little more time with her candidates pinpointing their style, she might be successful in keeping them in for at least half of the live shows. It took four weeks to find a good song that suited Alisha Bennett (‘Put your records on’ – Corrinne Bailey Rae) but before that, her songs were terrible! Did Sharon ever take the time to listen to her before putting on stage in front of thousands of people? There’s a technique to choosing a certain songs for certain voices, and Simon is excellent at it. That’s the only reason Same Difference stayed on the show for so long! Louis is very good at this too. Dannii took a few show to learn about the importance of the song choice, but she got the hang of it quickly.

And its not to say that Sharon has never had any good acts – Brenda Edwards, Maria Lawson, Andy Abraham, Ben Mills, Dionne Mitchell – the list goes on. But she doesn’t seem to be able to manage them well.  Even now you never hear about them doing anything substantial since they left the show, even though she vowed to help some of them. It makes you wonder if Leona Lewis would have achieved anything after X-Factor if Sharon had been her mentor.

So Sharon, maybe you are doing future contestants a favour by quitting. Maybe the competition will actually turn towards being the singing competition its suppose to be. Maybe Dannii won’t be any better or worse! Maybe it won’t make the slightest bit of difference, but I, for one, welcome the chance for change.