It seems often during the auditions they will cut to the audience who will make comments like "He's cute" or "Bless him...he looks like he's going to do a backflip" or "Look at Simon's face, he's done with it". It just doesn't seem natural at all to me, and some of them look kinda out-of-place too, dressed in suits etc. Also when they film people outside walking through the queue saying random stuff like "I like Dermot and I'm glad he's back". How likely do you think it is that all of this is staged?

The audience reactions are certainly staged, and I have it on good authority that sometimes the clips of the audience you see are not for the particular act they are showing. A complete set up.

They're so fake, it ruins the audition for me

That doesn't surprise me. Wasn't there a hoo har a few years ago about the judges reactions being different to what the audition actually was?

With the big crowds outside its made to look like they've come to audition but that's just the audience for the auditions/bootcamp. Well it was when i went in 2011.

Yeah pretty much all staged

Biggest cringe moment I think was "Welcome to the XFactor Auditions, are you excited by the new panel" and the person Says Yes of course

X Factor turned into Gogglebox.

Xtra Factor turned into BB BOTS

of course they are fake!

They do the same thing on BGT, it's hilariously obvious.

They must think the GBP are very gulable.

Somewhere along the way, producers got it into their heads that the audience needs to be manipulated to laugh, cry, feel, think, etc. It's not just the audience being mic' duo, it's the background stories too. Are we meant to believe that this person just showed up to an audition and we have footage of them from beforehand?

I would much prefer to to see auditions, good and bad, unedited, with no background stories for sympathy votes, and no cutaways to audience gasping/pointing/whispering, etc.

It's as subtle as a sledgehammer in BGT and the previous series of XF with the arena auditions. Particularly noticeable when any male singer (usually those reserved for being forced into a boyband), with average to above average looks comes on and we get shots of girls smiling, fawning, panting...

The "audience" at the auditions this year consists of the other hopeful auditioners watching in a holding room. Maybe their friends and family too unless they are kept separated pre-audition.

Supposedly the auditions were overbooked. Many of the "commenters" expected to audition but never did due to time constraints.

It's a 'show'. All 'shows' by their nature are 'staged'. Did you not get the memo?

It's either very staged or they're editing in and out comments to suit the productions agenda.

Either way I agree with you that it's not very natural the way it's coming across to us.

Yea. Although on the plus side, at least all the acts aren't staged. For instance we have Honey G, a genuine urban artist

Well.. err as it happens

Wish they just stopped all the BGT copying.

I don't get how they capture the footage of them in their daily lives. It's like they've stalked a few random people prior to their audition. Also how do they know that these 'random' people they've selected to film are going to have an audition that's fit for broadcast

And to the topic creator, I agree it doesn't sound natural whatsoever. I'm noticing it now that u've pointed it out. Take the last audition we saw for example from Rebekah Ryan, 1 of the audience says 'She did it' after she got past her nerves. WTF kind of response is that?

They've over-complicated the show so much. Same with BGT. Just show us the auditions. More of them. Good and bad, we want to see them all. Less backstage and background stuff. Save that for when they advance and we want to get to know them a little more. I believe they are convinced that no one would watch it like that though. Part of it is ego-stroking nonsense too, like the judges getting ready or driving up to the red carpet at the next stage in their limo.

they are staged most definatley

Yea well I know for a fact for the 'daily lives' footage producers as contestants to walk down the street etc. so they could film them and edit it into their backstory - I remember one contestant admitting this, plus it's obvious anyway.

As for the second part, I replayed the rebekah ryan clip and you're totally right - also those fake tears before it, LMAO surely they can afford some better actors!?

I put some of the "reactions" footage to the test, and found that they usually first show a wide shot of the audience from the front, then cut to a view of the screen from behind the audience, then a close up of the people giving the "reactions". If you pause and look closely you can see the audience in the background of each of the shots is clearly not the same. So there - conspiracy confirmed!

I don't know if they're staged but the contestants are certainly encouraged to discuss what's happening. It might seem 'fake' but that could be the awkwardness of having to make comments in front of a camera, who knows?

They are added in post production and have been, both on radio and TV for decades. Modern digital techniques makes it easier and thick producers always go over the top, Alan Carr Chatty Man is one of the worst plus a lot of BBC Radio 4 so called comedy shows.

Does look very fake. Infact the whole show seems fake!! Right down to the meticulously place/ hired comedy acts and theatrical laughing from the judges.

Why on earth they cant do a straight forward talent show without any of this fake audience reaction, and scripted reactions from the judges is beyond me. It would attract far more viewers.

Most of the friends and family are mic'd up and capture what they talk during auditions, but when it goes through edit, these comments may go into other auditions, wherever appropriate.