X Factor 2015
The new X Factor judging panel consists of (left to right) Rita Ora (L), Nick Grimshaw, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Simon Cowell and Rita Ora, while Caroline Flack and Olly Murs take over presenting duties ITV Pictures/Twitter

The X Factor finally returns tonight (28 August) on ITV at 8pm, and everyone's excited about the prospect of two new judges and two new hosts to give the long-running show well-needed revamp.

Those who will be tuning in tonight for the 12th series have been told to "expect the unexpected", but chances are we'll just be greeted with a plethora of terrible and hilarious auditions with a few good ones thrown in. Because what more do we want from the first episode, after all?

But whilst most fans of the televised singing competition that has spawned top acts such as Ella Henderson, JLS, Olly Murs and One Direction are looking forward to it, IBTimesUK have decided to take a look back, at all of the funniest auditions that have come out of the show since it started way back in 2004.

Chicken Man – series 1

Chicken factory worker Robert Unwin was inarguably the most memorable audition from The X Factor's first series, with his incredibly high-pitched covers of The Bee Gee's Tragedy and then quite unexpectedly Aqua's Barbie Girl. Believe us, it was high even for the Bee Gee's...

Mysterious Girl – Series 5

Ant and Seb truly believed if they were given a chance, they could be the perfect mix of P Diddy, Usher, Rick Astley and Peter Andre. But unfortunately for them, the judges didn't share quite the same view.

Release Me – Series 7

Left unsatisfied by the idea of doing a typical rendition of Duffy's 2008 track Mercy, Shirlena Johnson decided she would sing her own lyrics on top of the 2008 track's music instead. With some very odd results…

Ablisa Punch – series 7

Best friends Abby and Lisa didn't get off to a great start with their audition when their sulky attitudes on stage resulted in the audience giving them early boos. After stomping off stage in what Cowell described as a "tantrum", the pair began to sing Shayne Ward's That's My Goal. More boos soon ensued, which in turn encouraged more attitude… eventually ending up in a fist fight right there on stage.

5) Evil Rachel – series 4

Sometimes, it's not just bad singers that the judges have to endure, but rude contestants to and whilst Ablisa were pretty bad, Rachel was even worse.

6) Ariel Burdett – series 5

She stomped into the room, ripped off her auditionee number and exclaimed that she was "not a number" much to the judge's surprise. That entrance, combined with her "multi-faceted" voice and agitated vibes, there's no wonder holistic vocal coach Ariel walked away without one "yes".

Holly Jervis – series 5

Even though she did get four no's, it wasn't necessarily Holly Jervis's voice that warranted her bad reception. The judges were more put off by her exceptionally large mouth whilst she was hitting those booming notes of Hairspray's Big, Blonde And Beautiful.

Edna the Mother-in-Law – series 3

Simon 'Mr. Nasty' Cowell finally met his match when auditionee Lorraine brought her 86-year-old mother-in-law Edna into the judging room for some moral support. We bet he wished he hadn't started laughing when poor Lorraine started singing...

J Star Valentine – series 10

He had the looks, the style and the name! But one thing that J Star Valentine's completely bizarre rendition of former X Factor winner Alexandra Burke's Hallelujah, needed was a good singing voice.

The one where Sharon and Louis can't stop laughing – series 4

When Dawn kept forgetting her lyrics and having to refer back to them jotted down in her pocket, Sharon Osborne and Louis Walsh couldn't stop giggling. So much so that Cowell had to send them out of the room so that Dawn could finish the audition. The whole thing got even more comical however when, still giggling backstage, Osborne walked straight into a closed door.

11) Onkar Judge

"Don't judge the Judge please. Because there is only one judge and that is me Mr Onkar Judge."

Enough said.

Penelope Gomez – series 2

Walsh and Osborne got another case of the giggles when Spanish-born Penelope shared her rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow. The duo even started laughing so hard that Osborne even threatened that she was going to empty her bladder right there on the audition room floor.

13) Just Like A Prayer - series 3

Paula Abdul was brought in as a guest judge when 58-year-old Madonna superfan Donna auditioned, so the pressure was on for her to impress an extra face present on the panel. But not only was Donna's voice not quite what she obviously envisioned it sounding like, she got a lot of the words wrong too. Who doesn't know the words to Madonna?

George Gerasimou – series 8

George had already blown his first chance of getting through the auditions round when he performed with two of his friends a few years previous in a band called Triple Trouble. And to prove that he had all grown up and "matured", he returned in 2011 to try again. Only not only had his singing not really improved… his attitude hadn't either.

Fiona 'Vicky Pollard' Griffiths and Total Eclipse – series 3

What could be worst than being told by Simon Cowell himself that you look like Vicky Pollard off of Little Britain? Not much we're guessing, not much… The best part about this last audition however? The fact that even after the music mogul publicly humiliates her friend and bandmate, one of their pair announces she'd "still do him". Priceless.