Do you think you have the x factor? Well you’re in luck.

The show’s audition pod is coming to Ipswich in a bid to find some homegrown, natural talent.

On April 7, the open auditions will take place in the Buttermarket Shopping Centre from 9am to 5.30pm with a casting team on hand to pick out potential stars.

In the evening, there will be an open mic night at Arlington’s Brasserie for brave performers to audition in front of a crowd.

Woody Bradbury, casting researcher for The X Factor, said: “The whole idea of doing the pod is to find the real grass roots talent and to find people who might not have thought about applying for the show before.

“We are looking out for the really hard working people who have natural talent who have never done anything with it.”

Last year’s winner, Ben Haenow, who pipped fellow Londoner Fleur East to the post, was a van driver in Croydon before going on to be crowned The X Factor champion.

Mr Bradbury said the mobile pod was the easiest and cheapest way for people to apply for the show.

Recordings of the auditions will be taken back to X Factor executives to decide whether applicants will be taken forward for the next round and ultimately face Simon Cowell, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and their fellow judges.

Nadine Weatherley, assistant manager at the Buttermarket, said they were thrilled to have The X Factor coming to the shopping centre.

She added: “It’s great for the town to have such a high-profile show choosing to come to Ipswich for its preliminary talent scout.”

The pod will be making an appearance in other locations in the east next month, landing in Cambridge on April 4, Norwich on April 6 and Chelmsford on April 9.

People must be over 16 to apply.

How local talent fared:

Matt Cardle, from Halstead, won series seven of The X Factor in 2010

Olly Murs, from Witham, finished runner-up in the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009

Jade Mayjean Peters, from Ipswich, just missed out on the quarter-finals of The Voice in 2014

De’Vide, rap duo from Ipswich, were knocked out of The Voice before the live shows in 2013

Stevi Ritchie, from Colchester, finished sixth place in last year’s The X Factor

Ten Senah, from Ipswich, made it through to the boot camp stage of The X Factor last year

Next of Kin, a pop rock band from Braintree, were put through to the boot camp in series 10 of The X Factor in 2013

Toni Warne, gospel and soul singer, from Ipswich, was a finalist on The Voice in 2012

Leanne Mitchell, from Lowestoft, won the first series of The Voice in 2012

Nate James, from Lakenheath, was knocked out of The Voice by Jessie J in 2013