X Factor final Wembley

X Factor final Wembley

X FACTOR finalists will head to WEMBLEY after show guru Simon Cowell ordered a spectacular end to the series.

The 2011 final will be held at the 12,500-seat Wembley Arena, the first time it has switched from its usual TV studio setting with an audience of just 300.

The move will make it one of the biggest talent shows ever, dwarfing the final of American Idol which is held at a 7,000-seat theatre in Los Angeles.

And Cowell has pledged to be there, despite his commitments to the US version of X Factor.

An insider said: "There may have been some concerns about the change in the judging panel, but viewers will forget all of that when they see the new-look show and final.

"We are very excited about making it bigger and better - with a bigger venue, bigger-name guests and more audience members and celebrities than ever before."

The X Factor is usually filmed at the nearby Fountain Studios, but hundreds of ticket applications have to be turned down each week.

The Arena show will go out over the weekend of December 10 and 11.

Cowell is also filming his new ITV1 gameshow Red or Black there.