X Factor studios to be demolished after live semi-final tonight wiping away decades of TV history

THE X Factor studios are set to be demolished after tonight's live semi-final results show.

The building has been home to some of the biggest TV shows over the last few decades, but it's now set to be flattened to make room for housing developments.

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Announcing the sad news, ITV confirmed it was the "end of an era", as tonight's show will be the last ever to be broadcast from Fountain Studios in Wembley.

Reacting to the news, host Dermot O'Leary said: "I started here, I did my first ever pilot here when I was still a runner.I got a screen test and the pilot ended up being here.

"It was my first ever hosting job so it holds a great poignancy and big significance to me."

Meanwhile Thames Television managing director Richard Holloway added: "It's a sad day because it's a TV studio which is closing down and will not be replaced.

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"Purpose built TV studios are difficult to find."

The studios has been home to huge TV shows including period drama Upstairs Downstairs, sitcom On The Buses and pioneering pop show Read Steady Go.

Talents shows Pop Idol, X Factor and Britain's Got Talent then took over in the years to come.

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TV shows were first transmitted from Wembley at the start of ITV in 1955 under the brand of Associated Redifussion and later London Weekend.

Meanwhile, Emily Middlemas, Saara Aalto, 5 After Midnight and Matt Terry are set to go head to head tonight for a place in the live final next weekend, set to be filmed at Wembley Stadium.

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But watching last night's live semi-final, fans were disappointed following Honey G's exit - wanting her back on their screens.

One fan tweeted: “#Xfactor isn’t the same without #HoneyG …..miss her already 😄”

While another wrote: “This show is nothing without @The_Honey_G – I genuinely don’t even enjoy watching it, this whole series I only watched it for her! #XFactor.”#

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Elsewhere, Simon Cowell was accused of ‘game-playing’ following his criticism of Matt Terry on the show.

The music mogul compared the singer’s performance to a butter-less sandwich as he opened the semi-final show on Saturday with a unique spin on the traditional Christmas carol Silent Night.

He told Matt: “I thought it was, um, nice. I thought it was a bit predictable. It was a little bit – until the end when you hit the high note – it was like having a sandwich without the butter.”

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And his comments didn’t improve when Matt took to the stage for a second time to sing his second song, Jessie Ware’s Say You Love Me.

The father of one shared: “I really like you but I don’t think tonight’s been your best night. It sounded like the track had overtaken you. This, for me, was bland.”

Those watching at home suspected that Simon might have been playing a game in order to help his own act – Emily Middlemas – progress in the competition.

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“Simon and his mind games slating Matt after a great performance - if he wants bland he should look to his own act #xfactor,” wrote one fan.

Another tweeted: “Simon is only bringing Matt down tonight because he knows he's the favourite & so much better than Emily #XFactor.”

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