We had \"Idol\" before the US did. It started with Popstars, which followed the auditioning process in forming a band, but no public votes. Then there was Pop Idol, where we were introduced to Simon Cowell and his impossibly high-waisted trousers. I think after that American Idol started, which we also got on our screens, albeit tucked away in a non-peak time. Then we had Popstars: The Rivals. A boy band and a girl band were formed, but this time voted for by the public. Then the second series of Idol. Then the format changed a bit and it got renamed X-Factor, but still with Cowell, now joined by Sharon Osborne. I can\'t remember how many we\'ve had of those.