The X Factor judges asking solo singers to form new groups is nothing new and has been happening for the last few years, however it seems that there will be a bit of a twist when the ITV show returns to our screens next month.

Insiders have told Unreality TV that due to a shortage of good ready formed groups, Louis Walsh, Gary Barlow, Tulisa Conotstavlos and Nicole Scherzinger have been selecting some of their favourite contestants and putting them together with other performers but this time they have been mixing up the sexes.

In 2010 Nicole, Louis and Simon Cowell asked Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik to form One Direction. They later finished the series in third place.

Last year Tulisa requested that Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall come together and make up Little Mix. The ladies went on to win the series.

This year the panel are hoping to repeat these success stories, however as they whittled the hopefuls down to just 32 in the Liverpool bootcamp this month they asked a number of boys and girls to form mixed sex groups.

The new formations were given less than a day to rehearse their new auditions songs, before performing for thousands of potential fans in the Echo Arena.

We don’t want to give too much away but let’s just say, we can’t wait until The X Factor returns to our screens in just a few weeks time!

Are you excited? Leave your comments below….