ITV apologised to X Factor viewers after the TV show was hit by sound issues – prompting the cancellation of Saturday night’s vote.
Viewers complained that they thought their TV screens had broken and that judges Simon Cowell, Robbie Williams, his wife Ayda and ex-One Direction star Louis Tomlinson sounded like Daleks.
Causing more confusion, host Dermot O’Leary failed to offer any on-air explanation because the show had been pre-recorded on Saturday afternoon.
Due to a technical issue tonight's tonight's @TheXFactor vote has been cancelled. It will open in tomorrow night's show. #XFactor
— ITV (@ITV) November 3, 2018
A message simply flashed up on screen saying: “We are sorry for the temporary interference in sound” after the problems began midway through the talent show.
Viewers called for ITV to axe the phone vote.
And later, at the end of the programme, X Factor flashed up a message saying Saturday’s vote had been cancelled.
“Due to a technical issue, tonight’s vote has been cancelled. It will open in tomorrow night’s show,” it said.
The sound issues distorted contestants Danny Tetley and Anthony Russell’s performances.
And an ITV announcer said after the show aired: “We’re very sorry for the problems with the sound on the X Factor tonight.”
We are sorry for the temporary interference in sound.
— ITV (@ITV) November 3, 2018
One viewer wrote on Twitter: “I thought my TV had finally given up on me after eight years but it’s just X Factor”.
Sound engineers at #XFactor right now. pic.twitter.com/bJ4NWCxMyl
— Nick Betts (@Betts_N_L) November 3, 2018
This Morning host Phillip Schofield wrote: “Oh no!!! They’re all Daleks on the X Factor!!!!!”
I feel so bad, the contestants depend on there performance and your audio has ruined 2 of them 😡😡😡 sort it out X factor! The vote won’t be fair this week
— Marnie (@marnie) November 3, 2018
One viewer joked that ex-judge Louis Walsh was “the real culprit” behind the sound issues.
The real culprit behind the interfearence #XFactor pic.twitter.com/SwCtMdHw6C
— Jake⚡🎃 (@_Jx_ke) November 3, 2018
And @basicallylewis wrote: “I thought they were doing the robot effect for Halloween”.
While @flump23 added: “Surely the votes need to be halted. We can’t hear them sing properly. It’s not fair on them.”
Surely the votes need to be halted. We can’t hear them sing properly. It’s not fair on them. @TheXFactor
— Claire Jones (@flump23) November 3, 2018
By the sound of it the Daleks are smashing it on @TheXFactor tonight pic.twitter.com/e3Jn1bRufi
— Chris Moyles (@ChrisMoyles) November 3, 2018
I thought they were doing the robot effect for Halloween but nah 😂😂 #Xfactor
— lewis aitken ☃️ (@basicallylewis) November 3, 2018
An X Factor spokeswoman said: “We apologise for the technical issue that affected the sound on part of tonight’s episode of The X Factor. We are investigating why this happened.
“We can confirm tonight’s public vote has been cancelled and will instead open in tomorrow night’s show at 8.30pm on ITV.”
Performances on the X Factor app and on the ITV website can be viewed without sound issues.