How long is X Factor The Band on for? New talent show kicks off on ITV

X Factor The Band makes its debut on ITV this week and Simon Cowell searches for the next One Direction or Little Mix

It appears to have come from nowhere but on Monday night X Factor The Band will hit TV screens.

Hot on the heels of The X Factor: Celebrity, won by Megan McKenna, the new talent search will see head honcho Simon Cowell and fellow judge Nicole Scherzinger scour the country for singers to be in 'the next One Direction or Little Mix - no pressure then.

X Factor The Band starts on ITV at 8.30pm tonight and among the guest judges and mentors tipped to appear on the show are Naughty Boy, Ella Eyre, multi-platinum-selling song-writer Carla Williams and Grammy-winning producers Lil’ Eddie and Fred Ball.

A spokesperson for the show says "Simon Cowell and The X Factor have discovered some of the biggest pop groups in history, including One Direction, Fifth Harmony and Little Mix. Now the aim is to find the new superstar group – though now in record-breaking time.”

How long is X Factor: The Band on for?

X Factor: The Band is set to have just FOUR episodes. It will launch at 8.30pm on Monday, December 9 and then return to screens on Wednesday, December 11 and Friday, December 13 at the same time.

The live final is set to air on ITV on Sunday, December 15. Does that means the winners' will be going for the Christmas number 1 with their debut single? We'd be shocked if that wasn't the case!