It’s November already.

And as sure as the clocks went back an hour this weekend and the leaves are falling off the trees at an alarming rate, the televisual traditions are also all present and correct.

Strictly Halloween extravaganza ? check.

Bake-off finale ? check (poor Stef)

X-Factor live shows ? check....

But what’s this ? no strangulated cat auditions from folks who think they are the next Mariah Carey ?

No, this year the celebrities are getting a shot at the big time thanks to a slight change in normal procedure.

So instead of months of long and drawn out auditions there were just two very short ones.

These were not at Wembley or under the bright lights of a studio.

Our Z-Listers were whisked off to California to serenade Simon Cowell and his important chums in his opulent back garden.

There wasn’t really a lot of peril involved in who would go through to the live shows since there were about five hopefuls in each category and in the end each of the three judges chose four.

And due to there being an outcry, entirely expected and stage managed no doubt, Jenny from the Chase has since been put through despite initially being turned away.

Oh, and Vinny Jones has also since joined the party.

Quite rightly since he was unable to join in the try-outs due to the extremely sad death of his wife, aged just 56, who had been keen for him to take part.

Jones is always honest, and this has not changed even with his recent experiences.

In fact, seeing him be so open in recent television interviews addressing this and his on-going grief has probably made such a huge difference to those going through similarly tough times.

It was also, although contrived, a nice touch to show Cowell calling him to find out how he was and offer him the chance to join in, a few months after the California auditions.

Talking alone does not solve the world’s problems but it really can go a long way.

So I really hope the public get behind Vinny now the live shows are up and running - especially after his barnstorming debut over the weekend.

It remains to be seen who will properly shine.

Some of them clearly have an advantage - the young chap who was on the teen drama Glee, the former Corrie actress who started off her career in the West End.

But you also have to take your hat off to Brendan Cole and Jeremy Edwards whose audition was decidedly below par but still felt they should have been given a shot.

Being likeable was not enough although it was a bit of telly gold when Nicole Sherzinger managed to do what few judges in umpteen years of strictly managed to do - shut Brendan up.

With one line she shut him down. No-one messes with Nic.

And she always looks so immaculate.

Admittedly with a team of make-up artists and hair stylists, but it looks pretty effortless.

There were so many of those Pussycat Dolls you can’t turn a reality show on without one of them popping up - but Nicole still outshines the rest.

Poor Louis looks slightly drab sat next to her, piping up every now and then.

Not sure if this celebrity turn of events for the X-factor is going to live up to its title but I do think it is a welcome break from hearing about the endless call centre workers wanting to be rescued from their day jobs.