Simon Cowell confirms that The X Factor: The Band is launching this December on ITV

Simon Cowell has confirmed a new X Factor spin-off series The X Factor: The Band.

Taking to social media, the music mogul confirmed alleged news reports and online rumours about the new X Factor format, announcing the show will launch in December on ITV. A special All Stars week of X Factor was originally planned, but that appears to have now been postponed or scrapped altogether.

"You may have already heard about this, but if you haven't, we're launching X Factor: The Band," Simon said in a video announcement. "We have weeks to get this together. Very simply, we're going to try and find either the biggest boy group in the world or the biggest girl group in the world. And you've got days to enter. We've done it before and we're going to do it again."

IT’S TRUE! The X Factor: The Band is coming and we NEED YOU! Apply via the links below to be in the next biggest Boy or Girl group. You have just days to apply, so be quick! #XFactor

Apply on WhatsApp: https://t.co/7j4n6Ssy9W

Apply on web: https://t.co/YqQw0RHnLi pic.twitter.com/B1kDnGAgD7

— The X Factor (@TheXFactor) November 6, 2019

X Factor has previously launched successful pop groups like JLS, One Direction and Little Mix, acts with 13 UK Number 1 singles between them. The latter of the acts recently parted ways with Simon's record label Syco Music, and are launching their own TV talent show Little Mix: The Search next year on BBC.

Simon says that he is looking to launch a brand of UK-Pop after seeing the success of Korean K-pop boyband BTS.

The show is open to solo singers aged 16 or over. Interested applicants can send a video to producers via the official X Factor website or through WhatsApp.

The X Factor's first Celebrity series is currently airing on ITV and is a tweaked version of The X Factor: Battle of the Stars from 2006.