Since The X Factor returned to our ITV screens a few weeks ago, viewer ratings have been somewhat erratic, but in the main, they’ve been lower than previous shows…

And last night, an average of 7.9million of us tuned into the show to watch the first stages of Boot Camp, which is around 800,000 less viewers than last weekend’s final auditions rounds.

However, Simon Cowell has of course reportedly – and frequently – intervened to shake things up on the show in a bid to win back viewers, and as we saw last night, he himself has made a return to the show in order to tell the judges which categories they’ll be mentoring this year.

We’ll see that news break next week, but in the meantime, as well as lining up a whole host of music’s top brass to sing during the live shows – such as Leona Lewis, Cheryl Cole and Pink to name but a few – Simon had reportedly now brought out the band he considers to the be The X Factor’s big guns, One Direction…

The band were of course put together by Simon on X Factor – after Nicole Scherzinger, who was a guest judge at the time suggested the idea – and have since gone on to enjoy global success.

Today’s Daily Star reports that 1D, who are currently in Germany, will sing during the live shows next month in part to promote their new single Live While We’re Young but also to boost ratings.

A show insider told the paper, “He’s risked everything on making the US X Factor a big hit and it now faces the axe.

“Simon knows One Direction wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the X Factor and he now wants to use their success story to save and promote the show.

“He has ordered producers on both sides of the Atlantic to book in the best guest performers for the live shows.”

I’m sure that having One Direction on the show will indeed boost ratings – would you tune in specifically to watch them?

Meanwhile, as we prepare for the judges houses episodes of the show to air next weekend, Unreality TV have put together out predictions for his year’s X Factor final 24. Have a look and tell us if you agree!