The X Factor

Humphrey Percy
Chairman and Founder
Thu 27 Nov 2025

“Make some noise” the fluffer told the audience as the then newish grime star and musical guest Stormzy took to the stage to do his stuff in October 2017 at the recording of X Factor one Sunday night in a studio off the A40 in West London. There was Dermot Kelly and here was Alesha Dixon, Nicole Scherzinger, and Louis Walsh as we mingled in the VIP area.

We were being hosted by Sharon Osbourne in my role as CEO designate of a GBP5 billion UK theme park which had caught the eye of business savvy Sharon who had quickly grasped the commercial possibilities for herself and her family.

After the show it was back to Sharon Osbourne’s dressing room where as a long time fan of Black Sabbath’s 1970’s anthems such as Paranoid and Iron Man I was thrilled to enjoy conversations with Ozzie Osbourne as well as posing for photos with Sharon who plied us with drinks and canapés. Much has been written about wild man Ozzie but that night there was no biting the heads off bats just a gentle rock star proud and supportive of his X Factor Judge wife Sharon.

Related news

    Get news and insights, delivered directly

    Start your day with a sharp, concise and relevant financial briefing from our team of experts.





    Stay ahead of the curve and get your daily briefings direct to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our terms & conditions.