X Factor UK Big Band Songlist

Here's what the Top 8 will be singing on Saturday.

Abi Alton – That’s Life

Quite a chilled number normally. I can't see what she could do with this but no doubt she has something in mind. I am really not sure this genre will suit her and feel she is likely to struggle.

Hannah Barrett – This Is A Man’s World

Another big anthem-like number from the girl with the big round everything. She will belt this out with no regard for the well-being of those nearby and I'm not sure she will really get the words but if she gets the notes then she may well do OK this week.

Luke Friend – Moondance

Groovy tune but Luke is about as distant from Van Morrison as you can get - in mood and demeanour too. This is a tricky week for almost everyone and Luke is going to have to put all his personality and style into this to survive.

Nicholas McDonald – Dream A Little Dream

Oh dear this is a rubbish track. Still, Nick can sing and will warble through this just fine with all the notes in their proper places. It just isn't likely to be something I'd leap down to town to buy. Or vote for. He should be safe though. He has 4th written all over him.

Rough Copy – Hit The Road Jack

Now that's more like it! Yes, This should be good and they'll fly through to next week. Should be a popular number with everyone and may even actually suit them.

Sam Bailey – New York New York

Big voice, big number. Bit karaoke-sounding but so far Sam has managed to pull something extra out of the bag and make us look up from our pizza and take notice. This will not do her any harm and she'll ne safely through what ought to be her good week anyway.

Sam Callahan – Ain’t That A Kick In The Head

This young fellow has had almost as rotten a time, review-wise, as Abi so far in this competition. I think he'd do a lot better if he could sing and dance to the stuff that he actually wants to do as an artist long-term. So far he's been given numbers by Louis and none have really suited him. Unlike some acts in the past, though, he has just got on with things and has a reputation for working very hard in the background. He also has a massive fan base so anything is possible. The track sounds dreadful and it could be Sam's last week but you just never know.

Tamera Foster – Cry Me A River

What on Earth she was doing in the bottom two last week I do not know. Seems that some papers have got it in for her and some comments from the crew haven't been helpful either. As a singer, though, and a potential feature in our charts and someone who might keep up the tradition of cracking into the US charts too, she is streets ahead of the other eight in this year's competition. She has the best looks, the best voice, the best style and the best song. Hopefully, the press and having the worst back history will not bring her down.

Live Shows Week 3 Movie Week

It's time [pause] to face [pause] the movies. Hmmm. Not sure how well that worked despite Peter Dickson's best efforts! Dermot seems particularly animated tonight. Maybe they've all been told to do something to compete better with BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.

Rough Copy start. Gary seems to go a bit over the top in his support for these three. Like his attempt to balance the publicity as they haven't done so well in some newspapers. Ha ha! They're doing the Brian Adams big one Everything I Do I For You. Good choice as this is a pure vocal group and they are three of the best singers in this competition. This'll go down really well and get them back next week no trouble. Like a trump card, but maybe Gary has played it a bit too soon in the game?

My only thought is whether we need another croony tune band. They did have an edge but that has been well rubbed away. Gary tells us that the group actually chose the track so all credit to them for that move.

Sam Callahan is getting plenty of modelling work so when he gets kicked out he'll still have plenty of work.
The U2 number All I Want Is You is quite good. A great song that isn't played that much. His delivery is much improved on last week and you get the feeling he has worked very hard. I had expected him to be at risk this week.

Hannah tries Skyfall. There's a ot of fire and stuff on the stage but this shows just how good Adele is. Hannah's was a brave effort but not as good as she has been before. I don't know how she is going down with the public. I tend to feel that the judges are all trying to boost her with the comments they make. Hannah still doesn't look very happy but she may well survive.

Nicholas does In The Arms Of An Angel very well. A little without feeling but note perfect. He ought to be safe as grannies will love him and some girls too maybe. He does remind me of little Joe McElderry still. Bringing his godfather into the programme may not have been such a good idea though.

Poor Abi Alton. This may be her last week after an extraordinarily wobbly and painful Moon River. So sad to listen to. You just felt so sorry for her and wonder what on earth the judges will say to avoid being too upsetting. Everyone said she was good but I am really not so sure. She is clearly disappointed. I can only guess that she was very very nervous.

Nice to see Miss Dynamix back. They do need to perform and justify their place in the Top 11. Dreams is OK but nothing special. I think it's enough to keep them in but they'll be the first group out sooner or later. Lots of nonsense from one of them, like an early audition appeal. Bit late for that now. It's all down to performing well. Simple.

Sam Bailey is not going to be the third Over in a row to go. She's singing the Go On song from Titanic, not as well as Celine Dion but a good effort. A bit slow and boring but a nice change to hear all the notes in the right places. Pretty sure that'll go down well with voters.

Kingsland Road do Pretty Woman. That's a nice safe one too, like Sam preceding them. This a good band, very together and how they failed to get backing last week I do not know. Excellent stuff. A bit commercial but I can live with that from them. I am not sure they'll win but they do deserve to be around for a while.

Luke Friend is one of the few truly individual performers (Abi could be but hasn't been). He's singing Kiss From A Rose which is something I don't recall anyone doing on a reality show. It suits his voice well and he looks good with the guitar and that went down pretty well. He should be OK.

Tamera Foster is my favourite this year. She puts a lot into her performances and once again was spot on. The song wasn't great. A Beyonce number. I can't recall the title. It sort of passed by. Neither one thing or the other but she is great to look at and listen to.

So, who's going? Not Tamera for a start!

I'd say Abi, Sam and Miss Dynamix are those at risk this week. The voters choose a group again. This time it's Miss Dynamix. That'll be sad for them and they may have a bit of a struggle. Much depends whoever they're up against and if that's Abi, they may be going home.

Tonight's 80s Night Song Choices

Here are the song choices for this week. Something to do with 80s Night. They are not in performance order.

Abi Alton – Livin’ On A Prayer

Presumably one of her delightful slow versions with just a guitar backing. That should work well and, looking at the others, could stand out.

Sam Bailey – Power of Love

There are some 'oh not again!' tracks in this lot and this is one of them. You can hear it already and know exactly how she'll present it. She'll survive anyway.

Hannah Barrett – What’s Love Got To Do With It

I think Hannah's on 'voice rest' so maybe she gets a free pass which would be one very lucky break for her as I don't think she's going to be very popular and this would just be some belted out angry shout. probably in tune but not something you want to watch while you're having dinner.

Sam Callahan – Summer of ‘69

A great choice but a huge risk as this is almost one of the Defining Pop Songs of all time. He ought to be able to pull this off with the right arrangement and he's too popular to go anyway.

Tamera Foster – Ain’t Nobody

Tough song to get across effectively and in a way that'll get people voting. She should be OK and perhaps will put her own slant on this and do better than the old belters out there.

Luke Friend – Every Breath You Take

Nice choice should give him the chance to do both styles - appealing and a bit gentle and the heavy stuff thrown in too. Talented guy. I don't think he'll be around for many weeks but unless he cocks this up big time he'll be safe to fight again next week.

Kingsland Road – I’m Your Man

Well this will either go down a storm or leave them flailing around with Shelley in the Bottom Two. I have no idea which.

Nicholas McDonald – True

One odd-looking kid doing Spandau Ballet. That's a brave move and at least it's not 'Gold'! I can see him performing really well, all the notes in the right place and sounding pretty good but not exactly causing a stir. he should get through, though, for another week.

Miss Dynamix – Jump

The groups are great this year and these three should rock the house with this number. Lively and not too tricky to get right, they could have a good time, smile and look attractive and not quite as frightening as some of their publicity shots show. Quite looking forward to that one.

Rough Copy – In The Air Tonight

Phil Collins gets an 80s recognition with this track which has a tendency to go on and on and on. Luckily, they'll have just two minutes max so that's all right then. I can actually see them doing a superb job with this, tweaking it around a bit and possibly improving on the dreary Collins number. If the newspapers haven't affected the people who would be their voters in normal circumstances they'll be ones to watch.

Lorna Simpson – So Emotional

Nice lady with a big voice and quite a good stage presence, the best of Sharon's odd bunch in my view. This is a difficult number to excel with. She might. She should survive anyway and, possibly, could be the second best performance if she gets everything right. Second worse if she gets everything wrong.

Shelley Smith – Alone

Oh dear. Oh dear. You can just see her now, doing all the cliché moves, if you can have cliché  moves, the crouching, the hip sway, the large thighs thudding up and down, the huge oval of a mouth doing the 'lone' bit as several syllables. Most words will have an extra 'wa' on the end. She may be a nice lady but I'd rather she were back in the van. This year's Maloney but marginally better. God, I hope that doesn't mean she'll be 3rd.

X Factor UK Photoshoot Review

So now we can see the Live Show performers in their, er, glamour shots. As always, some seem to come off rather better in these than others.

Abi just about survives the flash of the camera but I much prefer her original, unposed, shots. -

I thought this was Hannah at first glance. No, Lorna had some nice-looking images before. This is awful. The hair, the pretend African style design and brown ---

Hannah. -

What is it with these faux patterns this year? Cheerful but the blue hair band is naff. -

Well OTT on hair products and shiny make-up. Stupid smiles don't help any of some otherwise quite attractive girls. --

Nicholas might just as well keep on walking past. No worse though. =

The only one where a real difference has been made. Generally for the best but I can't see her getting any extra votes but well done. First success of sorts ++

Another success although this Sam has modelled before so should be easy to work with +

Shelley should make the most of all this before she goes in Week 1. +

Tamera is one of the few acts to look cool this year and vaguely like a potential pop star ++

Rough Copy benefit iensely from the make-up and dress team's efforts +++

Kingsland could, I'm afraid be virtually any boy band. This looks 80s. Maybe not necessarily a bad thing, I suppose.  Wasn't there a shot without the cheesy smile centre? ++-+-