Live Shows; Week 1

Sixteen acts. that's quite a lot to fit in, especially as we'll see all of them with reasonably full-length tracks as opposed to the one-liners we've had to put up with for quite a few so far.

Dermot has his proper job back now.

Misunderstood

A good choice for a reliable and impressive first act. WHAM for 2018 perhaps?! It's a song about chewing gum which they've written themselves. That's cool but, whilst the song's OK it's not great. But this pair for a major contender. Robbie says they're the bookies' favourite. Not sure about that but they're certainly in the running.

Anthony

You have to feel happy that he's made it this far. Now I was worried that he might crack up but he did very well. Actually an excellent job of We've Got Issues. I can see him getting support and can't imagine him being 16th this week. Everyone likes him although he isn't going to win.

Danny

The old-style guy who is only 37. He really seems a lot older. Peter Dickinson introduces him as 'Anthony Russell'! Oh dear. Bit of a balls-up and he gets to restart. The song's Hero. All a bit cruise ship. He does have a strong voice and accurate notes and is an excellent singer but he's not a contender for this year's winner. Nice chap but he'll go soon enough.

Molly

Looking very good - someone for whom the makeover has worked well and she seems much older than a mere 16. Fake Love is the song and it's a confident performance. In complete contrast to Danny, she's modern and is a pop star more or less ready to go. Nice personality and this girl should do well. She just needs to be more than ordinary as she is up against some cool acts this year.

Janice

Stylish lady. But she's not one of the cool ones I was talking about. The song Clarity? was not great and seemed to suit a West End stage better than this one. She struggled quite a bit which surprised me as she is one of the most experienced here. Quite average.

Brendan

I'm expecting something good from this guy. He may not be cool but he is good and, unlike the others who are not cool but good, he has a remarkable talent and comes across well in this sort of show. He has bags of big show experience, having represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. Admittedly he didn't do very well but that was a poor song. He certainly can manage the huge venue and I see him making it this time. He had a slow build and it was great but missing something. He really ought to be safe but he'll need to impress more with his choice of tracks next time.

Bella

Merging Beautiful with some rap style delivery is going to be her trademark. She's good at this sort of thing. It's current and should keep her around for a while. She is a confident performer and a good personality who is going to make it, I'm sure. Maybe not win but she'll be there next week for sure.

Armstrong

Story Of My Life is his song. Nice job. He starts with his own rap and that switches smoothly into the more familiar refrain. That's original and quite powerful. A brave effort but weak in places and I'm not sure how the voters will go for that. Simon says that he and Bella are his favourites. 

Giovanni

He is in the Bat Out Of Hell musical and does eight shows a week so this guy is one experienced fellow in that respect. You almost wonder why he needs to be on this show as he clearly is well-established and the success of that show provides fame and, I should think, opportunity. He is excellent with a brilliant performance, basically showing most of the others how to do it. Saturday Night's All Right For Fighting was super. I don't know how voters will take to him, though, as he doesn't look so good on the big screen and isn't immediately likeable. I hope he gets to be around a bit longer. Robbie says he wants to perform with him. That's quite a compliment.

United Vibe

A new name. Previous Vibe 5. Neither are great but I don't think it will matter a great deal. I reckon they were fortunate to get here. Slow Hands is a track that seems a bit of a 1D copy. They seem OK but nothing special so far. Nice enough looking lads and some can sing well but they lack any 'X Factor'.

Shan

This girl has been my favourite to win. She does Imagine. Now that's a big song. Wow! That's the big moment we've been waiting for on this show. Superb. Her voice control, pitch, performance - all were 100%. Very good indeed and she is surely a real star.

Ola

Another person with his own number. I thought it was called Jubilant but then I realised it was Jiggle It which kinda loses some of my enthusiasm. It's all good fun and the discos will like this in the summer. He's a great performer too and you tend to want to see him do well but I do feel he can't last that long.

Scarlett

She's a bit less orange now. Does Natural Woman. A good performance, excellent voice and she's been dressed and presented well. Nice job but I don't see her as much of a future star. She's likeable now but it is all a bit karaoke for me. Simon says he thought she was a bit of a pub singer! Bearing in mind she's actually one of his four that is very surprising! I feel her days are strictly numbered. She's made it to the Live Shows but that's it now.

LMA Choir

The Circle Of Life is a good number for this mass of people. It's all very good stuff. Nice presentation and performances. I just don't think they will get very much further.

Acacia & Aliyah

Not A Star any more. Finesse is the Bruno Mars number. I'm not sure if that was a great song choice but they gave it their all. They're so young but do look great on stage and work well together. Very smart and 'in' for 2018. Almost the most 'in' act that there is this year. Everyone was waiting for some more 'street' type stuff, though, which didn't come and that might disappoint the voters. They may just scrape through this week but need a big improvement next time.

Dalton

This is the show closer and a nice spot to get. Interesting. He was one of the best in the auditions and tries Life On Mars tonight. Beautifully done and not easy. Very good vocals indeed. He was one of the best for sure. Super contender who ought to be around for many weeks yet.

We learn that two will go tomorrow night. One being the act with the lowest public vote and the other being the loser in a sing-off between the other two in the bottom three.

I see Danny and United Vibe in the most trouble but also suspect we may see Janice, Gio, LMA and Acacia & Aliyah in the bottom six. I can't really call it at this stage but, if pressed will say Janice and Acacia & Aliyah to go.

---

Can you believe it? Ola and Amstrong go, the panel saving Janice.

Judges' Houses: the Girls

At last, X Factor begins to show some quality production and decent performances. This was a very fine show and quite remarkable from the very start when we learn just who Simon Cowell has managed to assemble at his home abroad.

Just to mention a few, we see Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest from American Idol! Dionne Warwick is there, she may be getting on but she's still some celebrity. Paul Anka! Adam Lambert, Leona Lewis. Many more I don't know the names for plus producers and people who have a lot of influence and knowledge but may not be well-known faces to us. We even see Sinitta!

This array of celebrity and singers and sheer buying power did not deter the six girls at all. Naturally they were pretty impressed and amazed to be singing in front of rather more than just Simon on a couch with Louis.

Molly
An excellent start from this 16 year old. A super first audition proper. Not the simplest of songs to perform, I expected her to crumble but she seemed confident. Young and likeable. Maybe a little bland and will she prove to be memorable? Certainly good, whatever the case.

Georgia
Her spoken voice was a bit nervous and she looked strange in red trousers that were too short but I guess would have been 'fashion'. a strange song too. I didn't like it but several in the crowd showed respect for her doing it. A good response indeed.

Shan
My favourite to date for the whole show by quite a margin. She does 'get Back' but it's not the Beatles' song but her own, written just recently. Wow. That's a risk at this stage. It was very good, though, and she got that moment almost. very competent. You could hear some people tell Simon that he has to keep her. I agree.

Maria
She couldn't get a visa so was performing over a video link from London and I got the impression it had been recorded. She performs an inspired version of California Dreaming and I love it. She is definitely the best of all the Filipinos we've had on this competition. I could see her being a star in future and filling concert halls. It was a simple audition and worth the gamble perhaps.

Bella
She's modern and a bit different to all the other entries. The song - supporting a lesbian theme I think - meant a lot to her and she permed it well. It's all OK, edgy and she's unpredictable. The assembled Gods like her a lot.

Scarlett is last up. She sings a song that Dionne Warwick wrote. Difficult. She strats low in er register but eventualy gets into it and gets a standing ovation. That's impressive. I wouldn't have chosen her but that should see her safely through.

I would choose Shan, Maria and Molly, maybe Bella.

It's Shan | Molly | Scarlett | Bella who go through. That seems fair enough.

Dermot O'Leary gives and gets one hell of a lot of hugs in that week!

Week 3 Pt 2: Four potential winners in one audition set

All change at the bookies this evening as the producers manage to splice together no less than four acts with the potential to win this thing. I suppose that makes up for only seeing seven acts in total in tonight's programme.

Bella Penfold is first on our screens and is an appealing Essex girl of 19 going on 39. Her voice is low and a bit tobacco-worn but she is most likeable and a good dancer. She's one of those totally natural people who could well be difficult to manage. It's a lazy song but OK and a bit different. She's one to watch and second favourite at the time of writing. I have to say that seems a bit optimistic but lots of people must be backing her to get her odds down to about 10-1.

Lanya Matthews follows her and she's 17 going on 37, from Tottenham, as we get told a few times, and supported by a massive family. Her performance of I'm Telling You is simply magnificent. First class and, to my mind, the best audition by a long way. Another one we should see a lot more of, although her odds are nothing like as short as perhaps the more immediately identifiable Bella.

Dee Losh is from SE London and is 32 going on 22. She sings a song she's written herself. She's a teacher and you're expecting something fairly classy or musically sound. What you get is some fairly outrageous dancing and a rap that does nothing for me but will probably appeal to some. She's OK but I don't see her going far. Having said that, she'll be in the Oldies category and maybe they haven't got many yet.

Dalton Harris says he's come from Jamaica. You get the feeling he has just stepped off the plane, boat or whatever as he's pretty laid back and cool. Difficult to put an age on the fellow and I missed it - or maybe no-one mentioned it. He could be quite young but he could also be in the Oldies. I don't know. If he's in the Oldies then he could do well as this was one fine version of Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word. Nervous start and he wobbles all over the place but, strangely, that kinda endears him to the audience. Everyone loves the chap and we'll see him again. Bookies like him too as he's down at a very low 12-1.

After all this talent I guess we need some no-hoper just to keep those who only tune in to laugh happy. Someone called Ezat Azure, an obvious fan of blue tries to sing Bang Bang and is dreadful as well as weird.

Chap called Nathan comes next and he sings a song called rise Up which is quite a surprise. You don't expect him to be good but he is. Looks like the bloke in the DIY store but superb voice control and phrasing. He deserves to get through and we'll see what else he can do.

The show ends after what seem to have been as many adverts as performances with Shan. She has been a session singer, backing others and doing gigs here and there for other people and decided to have a go on her own. She's a beautiful singer. Another star in the making for sure. Well done to X Factor for still attracting people like this. Yes. Brilliant and possibly my new favourite to win the show.

'Magic', says Simon Cowell who we see congratulating her in the wings afterwards, clearly most impressed and keen to sign her up one way or another. I totally agree.

So do the bookies who now have her as a very clear favourite - and remember they'll have had some inside information about who's still in the running. She was just 2½-1 at the time of writing. Normally I'd place a bet but those odds are way to short for X Factor!! I don't think I have ever been right at this stage!

S15 Auditions: Week 1 Pt 2 Not Eurovision

If you think that there seems to be a lot of 'filling' at the start then you could well be right; there are just five acts to come this evening. That could be a record low.

In amongst the introduction you'll see the registration XF2 again but this time on a white Mercedes. Does someone really switch the plates before people arrive at the Stadium? I won't tell the DVLA if you don't.

First on the stage is a very bouncy chap called Ola. He comes from Trinidad and Tobago. A talented guy for sure. I have no idea what genre he is doing but it's all good fun and he can certainly perform. It's not the usual fare and is sufficiently different to seem new although it probably isn't going to see him winning anything. The lighting makes it difficult to figure out whether he's young or old but he's certainly energetic and all credit too to the two dancers he has with him but wo get ignored by the judges. I'm not sure what he'll do in the Abba round, though.

Next comes Brendan Murray. He's the first young lad we see this year and his Irish accent and general attitude makes me think we should have something good here. We learn that he was lead singer in a band at 16 but they only had limited success across the water. I sort of recognise him when he starts singing but can't remember where at first. He has a brilliant voice and sings really well. Despite that, Simon stops him and asks him to do a Kate Bush number, Woman's Work, which the guy says he doesn't know. It's all a bit strange and the rest of the panel are left out of the picture. My guess is that this is another set-up for the show and is all pretty well-rehearsed. Brendan goes away.

Several more come and go, also being told that they have the wrong songs but we never learn much more about them so maybe they never do get the right ones. But we do get Brendan back and he has a couple of goes at getting started before, with lyrics in hand, he gets past the first line. He does a first class job of the track and we have a potential winner here in my view.

Now I realise why he seemed familiar. He had been Ireland's entry in the 2017 Eurovision contest but failed to qualify. In fact he only came 13th out of 17 which was pretty poor. The song wasn't great but that still struck me as pretty cruel at the time.

So I may revise my idea about us choosing our entry for Eurovision 2019 from this year's winner!

That took up best part of the show. Someone else we've seen before turns up next. Mark from the Reason reached Judges Houses in 2010 - interestingly, the same year that 1D were there and no one of the 1D guys is on the panel judging. Mark tries Careless Whisper. It's not great, to be honest. Does he get another chance? No. Pretty harsh and he's out. Simon says that he can see no chance that he could get a first grade writer to produce a track for him and, as he doesn't write his own material, there's no hope. I imagine he could say that about a lot of contestants he does see through.

Jackie's next and it's a sort of Susan Boyle moment. She's getting on a bit, works on a farm and hasn't exactly dressed to the nines for the event. You know she'll be good. And, yes, she's an excellent singer and seems genuinely surprised at the audience's enthusiastic reaction. It's good TV, I suppose, and, of course she gets through, although I am not so sure she'll be any easier to write for or sell a great deal more than the other guy might have done.

Last up is Anthony Russell who dropped out last year. He'd been doing well and was the one who looked manic and on the edge of a nervous breakdown every week. He would have made the Live Shows and I reckon he will make it this time if he keeps himself together. Nice to learn that louis Tomlinson had played quite a significant part in rescuing the guy last year - I think they'd net as Louis was helping Simon at Judges Houses. The audience like characters like Anthony. They did spent one hell of a lot of the programme on this, though.

One thing we did learn during the show was that the Final will be on 1 December. I've been working backwards and I really am hoping that this will mean we don't get the indecent rush through Live Shows as we had last year. There would appear to be time for a gradual one-out-each-week flow with a weekend for each of Bootcamp, Six Chair Challenge and Judges Houses, as well as another four audition shows. So you do the maths - for every extra (cheap-to-make) audition show that will mean one more person getting sent home in one week's Live Show (expensive to make).

One good duo, three out-of-tune young girls and some old folk start the series.

The first thing you notice is that there's a lot more gold - the new graphics are very shiny and the red has made way for silver and, yes, more gold. I like the way the show goes pretty much straight into auditions and these are taking place at venues with an audience - and a seemingly quite big one at that. It's quite a contrast to the cardboard sets that we used to see with three judges - invariably someone was otherwise engaged - no Dermot and performers with little more than a cassette player on the floor if they were lucky.

Simon appears first in a rolls with an XF2 number plate and then it's another Rolls with XF3. Or perhaps they're Bentleys. You're left wondering who's got XF1.

It's not a good start. An odd mix of lads calling themselves No Label are all over the place and an appalling last note makes us wonder just what this new series has to offer if that's what the producers chose to start with.

The next act gives us all that 'Oh dear..' feeling as an oldish-looking bloke appears. Danny Tetley says he's knackered, having just flown in from Benidorm where he says he performs on stage. He looks as if he hasn't slept. I'm thinking he's in his 50s and it's quite a shock to hear he's only 37. Apparently he was a contestant on pop idol in 2001. When he does sing he's pretty good but hardly anyone that is going to break into the market in 2018. A good entertainer but really he would not have stood a chance in previous series. This year he gets through. That'll probably be it, though.

Next we have a duo called Misunderstood. Now this is more like it. Modern, talented and a bit different with some cool dance moves from the pair. They look good and sound good with their own track called Juicy Fruit. You can't help but notice that they have a professional and quite obvious backing track running and that helps promote a pretty competent audition. I don't recall that being allowed before - people just sang a capella and hoped for the best most of the time.

Also interesting is the full-length auditions we're getting - that's a good thing, although I may well regret that when the bad ones come along.

Next we get three blonde girls, one after the other. Kezia is 15 and really not very good but Robbie wants to put her in a girl band. She has a crystal voice that could be good be she's so nervous it's not a great audition at all. Nevertheless we'll be seeing her again.

Charlotte follows and she's even more out of tune but she gets through too - as part of some future band.

Molly is the third and I'm thinking that she's be in the band too. She's got a bigger voice and is an improvement on the other two but still nothing great. She's through too and maybe not as part of that group after all. I just sit here thinking that none of these would have made it in previous years.

Louis is very OTT with his praise and you get the feeling generally that everyone has been told to be positive, happy and smiling, come what may. Everyone he sees he says is 'amazing' but that doesn't leave him much room to praise some real talent as and when it appears.

Some weird bloke comes next with a dramatic prepared entrance. He is pretty useless and decidedly strange so it's just as well we don't get to see much of him.

Then we see some very, very strange act - like a family of sorts. A woman sings and she might not have been too bad but the people with her just look extraordinarily dumb and dance ridiculously badly. Whoever dressed them needs their head examined. Needless to say they don't last long. Not even funny. Just odd.

Then Janice Robinson comes along. She says she wrote Dreamer, a classic rave number from the 1990s. She can certainly sing and perform although she seems oddly out of place here. You tend to think that she needn't have to perform and is already in the business and should be doing fine but, perhaps, that is not the case. Who knows. We'll find out more at the next round no doubt.

We end the first edition of Series 15 with some bloke called Andy Hatton who is a major Robbie fan. He kicks off with some odd number and he just sounds weird. Simon gets him to do another song. This sounds rehearsed and staged to me. It's Angels and he finishes up with Robbie on stage singing with him and everyone is happy and singing along too. If anything, it goes on a bit long. The bloke sounds a lot better now and is vaguely in tune. He could be a Robbie tribute act and do reasonably well amongst the 300 other Robbie tribute acts that I guess must be around these days. He's through to Bootcamp, assuming there is a Bootcamp.

Not the most memorable of starts and no obvious contender in this first hour or so. It's a pleasant enough start to the series, I suppose, but they'll need someone a lot better to keep a decent audience in weeks to follow.

I remember thinking that there's no way Louis Walsh would have been up on stage singing with anyone.

X Factor Series 15 returns this evening

Simon Cowell brings this remarkably long-running series back to ITV screens this evening.

He will be joined at the judges' desk this year by Robbie Williams, Ayda Field and One Direction's Louis Tomlinson. And Sharon Osbourne will be part of the panel for the live shows too.




Dermot O'Leary is back as the host and that is always a relief. It takes a particular talent to generate enthusiasm and keep things flowing, although he was noticeable by his absence during last year's audition recordings. He tends to appear from time to time to congratulate or commiserate but that's about all until the Live Shows get under way.

Last year the Live Shows were ridiculously truncated and, after making so much effort to reach them, I felt sorry for contestants who then got only one or two nights' publicity as the numbers were severely sliced down to produce a final with what had to be regarded as indecent speed and economy.

Rak-Su deserved to take the prize, although we have not heard a great deal from them in recent months. Nor have Grace or Kelvin, the two acts competing in the Top Three, had much impact, despite producing most memorable performances on the show last year. Whereas once, getting to the top of X Factor more or less guaranteed a year of releases and their names in lights and on our radios, it is no longer a certainty that the temporary stardom will last long at all.

With Malta planning to enter their X Factor winner as the country's Eurovision act, could UK have something similar in mind? Rak-Su would certainly have given us a fighting chance in comparison to the pleasant but unknown SuRie.

Live Shows Week 5: the three finalists are revealed

Six acts will become just three this weekend as X Factor rushes in a most ungainly way towards its end. It is almost as if the producers really don't want to be here any longer. Anything to cut down the number of days' performance fees for the panel and various acts and musicians. Next years maybe they'll negotiate fixed fees with everyone and then it doesn't matter how long the series lasts and we can a somewhat less desperate ending.

What makes this crazy truncation so annoying is the sheer quality this year of the contestants we have at this stage. Any one of the six could make it. I can imagine any one of them, even Matt, standing there with the storm of silver snow swirling around as he struggles with the final few lines of the winner's single.

Matt is, though, by quite a long way the least likely to survive of the six but in another year he would have made the final. There is such talent, and a big spread as to the people that talent might appeal to, that it is difficult to know who will win. It is all down to who is watching the programme and who amongst them can be bothered to vote. All of the acts can be regarded as winners in the sense that they'll get a contract, I'm pretty sure, from SYCO and a lot of promotion next year to get them on their way. Those that don't actually take the prize are still going to get lots of good opportunities to make records and get known amongst an audience that doesn't watch X Factor.

The Cutkelvins

Another new song. They seem to be coming alive now. Always seeming to take second place to Rak-Su but nevertheless coming out with great performances. This one does seem a little messier than some they have done before but it is still very good work. With a standing ovation from all four judges they must be satisfied at a good job done.

Matt
One of my favourite tracks as well as his, Gimme Shelter, is an unusual song to hear on X Factor. It could be a good move as he must know that he is one of the most vulnerable to leaving now. Unfortunately, it all starts far too weakly and doesn't have the urgency that the song needs. Then he rushes far too quickly into the familiar chorus, probably constrained by some 2 minute rule for the whole thing. Much depends on the backing on this track and here it is good but unexceptional and the drums are just plain annoying. Good in parts but I suspect that's the end of Matt's run.

Grace
Not an original tonight but David Bowie's Life On Mars. I have a vision of this girl writing for other artists and being extremely successful in that field. She is brilliant as a writer and can also sing very well and express her lyrics but I am not sure how well she'll go down in public after the initial gloss has worn off. It's a nice version of the Bowie song and certainly gets attention and she deserved the Standing ovation that she also gets.

Rake-Su
I thought this was another original but it seems that it wasn't. Sweet Female Attitude is not a track I'm familiar with but it suits them and they present their usual extremely professional performance. The track lacks something, though, and i don't think it's up to their previous standards but seems pretty popular still with the audience who love them. I am sure they remain favourites to win the whole thing and they'll take some beating.

Lloyd
It is strange to see him as the #1 boy this year. He does seem out of place too. There is some odd booing as Louis announces that Lloyd has been unwell and had serious voice troubles. But he will still perform. I don't know what the audience reaction was all about at all. Perhaps I missed something else. Anyway, Lloyd's first line shows how much he is suffering but you have to admire how he strives to complete the performance and really ends up doing pretty damn well. He is good at George Michael numbers and that helps him have appeal to potential voters. There is much appreciation for what he does and that could make a difference to whether he or Matt stay.

Kevin
Kevin does Come Together, the Beatles' classic. He has the look and sound of a real rock star. A super performance - all spot-on and in tune, of course. I do wonder quite what the public will make of this, though. Quite a change from his previous performances but really, really good. I think this chap is the real star of the series. I would like to see him win. Really hope he makes it through.

Sure enough, in the first vote it is Matt who makes 6th place.

Dermot tells us that two will go on Sunday. That seems to be the first that most people know about that.

Part 2

In the second part of the weekend's show on Sunday it is now a serious matter of five acts being cut to three after just a single track. I think this is mad but that's the way it seems to have to be.

Lloyd
He does a cover of Coldplay's Fix You. Beautifully sung but is this 2017-8 material or an oldies collection for mums at Christmas? I admire this chap's abilities but I do believe that this is as far as he goes.

Rak-Su
They reprise I'm Feeling You', their own number which looks like it will turn into a big hit for them. They are certainly current and a complete contrast to Lloyd. On past votes I imagine that they'll get through with no problem.

The Cutkelvins

Show Me Love is not that well-known but they put on a super performance. Very professional and they deserve to do well. Relaxed, confident but I just feel they won't get enough votes with only three going through. If they were to make it then it would be in place of Grace or Kevin, however, which just isn't going to happen.

Kevin

He is playing the Jimi Hendrix track Voodoo Chile. Wow. A marvellous performance. Really, really impressive and just... wow! But... despite that being one of the best ever performances on X Factor in all time will the people who watch and vote like it as much as I do? It actually put both groups in the shade, strangely, as one guy totally took over the show for a couple of minutes.

Grace

Unbelievably, this girl comes out with another original song. Surely that has to be a big, big risk at this stage, especially with Rak-Su retreating to known territory of a tried and tested own song. Wolves is quite different from her previous stuff and is excellent and, as always, well-written. Much faster and quite commercial too, showing Grace as more of a performer than just the writer who sings her own songs. It may not have the endearing quality that her previous sadder songs have had but it is very good, none the less. The question is: is that enough? She needs to edge out Lloyd or the Cutkelvins to reach the final.

I think she will and predict the final three as:

Rak-Su | Grace | Kevin

I got that right. So next week it will all be over.

Live Shows: Week 3 Wham Sam survives

George Michael week. That should suit some more than others.

Rak-Su

A very professional performance once more but I found it a bit 'thin'. Good but not brilliant or particularly memorable. Although they're tipped as favourites to win, this is not their week to excel but they'll be hoping one of the other groups fails.

Matt

Careless Whisper as you probably haven't heard it before and may not want to hear it again. Bad start. This was really not very good. As things move along he does get more of a grip on the track and it ends in the 'OK' range but that's about it. Very average and certainly not inspiring. Sharon raves about it but I have no idea why.

Jack & Joel

They should do well as they have a definite Wham! look and sound. A great copy of Edge of Heaven. One of the pair has a great voice and sounds just like a young George Michael too. However, I suspect that voters will want something more original. For all that it was far more entertaining than the previous two acts.

The Cutkelvins

I am always impressed by this group. The girl is fabulous and possibly one of the best performers of the series this year. They do Killer / Papa Was a Rolling Stone and it's excellent. Best of the night so far by a long way.

Sean & Conor Price

They do Freedom. They were vulnerable last week but survived and made a better effort of things this week. Much more professional and confident. It's a good choice and they showed off their harmony skills well but made some mistakes in the break part and the performance, as so often has happened, fell apart. They need either more practice or less nerves or both. The crowd, however, seem great fans and they do have a lot of screen appeal so may survive.

Kevin

Fast Love. Sitting at a piano this week, Kevin gives us a very cool version of this track. Really very nice and, as the song progresses, you realise that this is the performance of the night by a mile and here is a serious contender for the whole thing. Amazingly good.

My ratings:

Overs: 1 Kevin | 2 Matt
Groups: 1 Cutkelvins | 2 Jack & Joel | 3 Rak-Su | 4 Sean & Conor Price

Winner: Kevin
Going home: Matt

Matt survives and it's Jack & Joel who go. Fair enough. They were doing well but were not going much further.

Now it's the Girls v Boys

Alisah

Praying For Time. You can always rely on this girl to sing well from the very start. Someone said that she needed to get the meaning of the songs across and this week she did try. But I would still put her on the West End stage and not on Chart albums. She would do extremely well and be very popular too in productions but, as a record artist, I don't think much would happen for her at all.
She tries hard and it is all very 'big' but there isn't a great deal to remember. She's vulnerable, I feel.

Sam

I'm Your Man Great song. Hoping to see this guy do well. We know that Lloyd will croon away and get all the grannies' votes so this is an important week for Sam to get his style across and show how he can be relevant and sell stuff too.
He doesn't do that well, though. It was another 'OK' performance but it lacked something. Just a bit bland. Good in some ways and they guy stays in tune and clearly enjoys himself. No problems performance wise but just, well a bit grey. He could be in trouble this week after all.

Grace

There have been several rumours that she has been difficult to manage and whether having an affair in the house with Matt has helped or hindered her I don't know. Her shining star from the first two weeks does seem to have fallen rather so she needs to rescue what was a leading position.

This was a powerful performance combined with a lot of genuine vulnerability and emotion. Very good. That should see her through despite whatever has been going on. She has 'star quality' which is, indeed, the 'X Factor'. Interesting comments. 'No compromise' says Louis. 'You've had a hard week' from Sharon and 'Tough week' from Dermot. To viewers not connected to social media of the red top newspapers that will have meant little.

Rai-Elle

Yet another wobbly start from this girl. She really should pick tracks, or change them so she can start with confidence. The song is a lot older than she is in many ways but once she gets under way this is quite impressive. Her voice is remarkable this week and the song just seems to suit her completely. I didn't recognise the track at all and it was not easy by the sound of it. She made a brave move there and finished with a most stunning performance that may have taken everyone by surprise. This was not expected to be a good week for the little girl. Instead it has become a possible milestone on her way.

Lloyd

A Different Corner
Nice choice of track and I have to say that this was a superb performance, a very, very classy performance of this song. It had Sharon genuinely in tears. Whilst Lloyd is still not X Factor material in my view but someone who could fill a stage production or do serious stuff somewhere, I was impressed by this and he will certainly fly through to next week.

Holly

Here is another superb singer who hasn't yet really identified with the show or the public. She does Goodbye, another very difficult song but she produces sheer quality from the first note. I don't know how many of the voters will recognise this quality or the song, though. I hope enough do to give her a chance to find herself. I feel she may only get one more chance but, get it right and she could triumph.

My ratings:
Boys: 1 Lloyd | 2 Sam
Girls: 1 Rai-Elle | 2 Holly | 3 Grace | 4 Alisah

Winner: Lloyd
Going home : Alisah

I get those right.

The set for the 'Prize Fight' is fabulous for Kevin. Another great performance. But so too is Lloyd once more, possibly even better than a short while ago.

Lloyd wins the 'fight'. I would have given it to Kevin but, to be fair, he has already won a 'prize' so this is OK, apart from it being opening for Little Mix!! Not so sure how that will work but I'm sure he'll put on a flawless performance. Odd but there you go.

Live Shows: Week 2

We start with the Groups and the Boys categories.

The prize for this weekend is announced as time with a writing team who have been responsible for a huge number of successes for, amongst others, Madonna, Aria Grande and 1 Direction. This is quite impressive and relevant too.

The producers still seem to think it is a good idea to have a theme each week, regardless of the fact that it will simply not suit some people at all, but I guess they'll cope. This time it's Latino music which has certainly begun to take the charts by storm of late.

Jack & Joel

SYCO's Camilla Cabello, once of Fifth Harmony, who I raved about when they were on X Factor USA some time ago, is at Number 1 at the time of writing and so choosing that track is a stroke of genius by the clever lads Jack & Joel who are first up.

I have to say that I was not expecting this duo to be good but one of them is a really good singer and they can actually pit on a really entertaining performance. I think having brains also helps. A Spanish rap gets included too, ticking all the boxes. They remind me for a moment of Wham.

Simon suggests that the acts should try to 'make a record' each week which is pretty good advice. We learn that Grace Davies was at #2 in downloads.

This weekend we get extremely long intros before each track. I do hope they don't get ever longer as the number of contestants reduces.

Leon

He chooses Get Lucky. The backing track does most of the work in his performance. No show of his range but he does seem reasonably professional. Not bad, but not great.

Sean & Conor Price

they like to put their own spin on a well-known song. But this time they try to do something with Cheap Thrills which didn't work for me. A bit awkward, I felt but, oddly, they seem to get a huge crowd response.

They did say themselves that they had wanted to strip the song back and that they felt it was over-produced. Fair enough.

Lloyd

a good week for this fellow. He does Hero and it's quite formal rather than sexy. All very good, solid stuff but simply not current or particularly imaginative.

The Cutkelvins

They choose a Little Mix track and it's nice and very current. Quite a contrast to Lloyd and really streets better than anyone else so far. Really well-performed. Maybe not their best but it works well. They fill the stage and deserve to get through.

Rak-Su

Yet another of their own songs! Amazing. This is also a genuine Latino number too. The crowd go mad for these boys. They're looking like winners at the moment.

Sam

Difficult to follow that but Sam does well, choosing La Bamba which suits him down to the ground. Coupling it with Twist & Shout he produces a really fun performance and looks confident on the stage.

My rating:

Boys: 1 Sam | 2 Lloyd | 3 Leon

Groups: 1 Rak-Su | 2 Jack & Joel | 3 The Cutkelvins | 4 Sean & Conor price

I reckon Leon will be going home and Rak-Su will 'win' the night. Got that right!

---

Now it's the Girls and the Overs.

Grace

That was a reasonable performance of a cover. Good singing but she was not the stand-out of quality as before. Not at all bad and I hope she does get through. Judging by her popularity from last week, I imagine she should be safe.

Trace Leanne

Although she is very confident on stage this didn't work. A poor song choice that is not well-known and, whilst suiting her style, may not appeal much to voters other than her core supporters. The audience response seems pretty good, though, so maybe that sounded better in the arena than on the TV.

Rae-Elle

A little live wire and she seems much more at home with this theme than the two before. Good Spanish too. She does seem off-key for quite a while which is annoying and a pity because if she chose a different key or simply stayed in the same one it would have been pretty brilliant. She is an excellent performer.

Holly

The recent No. 1 that she chooses does suit her well although she seems to be thinking more about the words and she certainly doesn't come across as sexy as the song intends. At times she seemed a bit desperate too and she may suffer this week as a result. She looks nice and has a super voice but this was not a good theme for her.

Kevin

Totally natural, this guy, with a lovely Santana style guitar spot too. He's good, very good. It's a superb rendition of the track. A bit dated, I suppose, but quality and a half. He gets a standing ovation from all four judges. That was well-deserved and says a lot.

Alisah

Lots of energy and you have to admire the work that this girl puts into her songs and rehearsal. She lets herself go on this and the track is even quite sexy in places but it does seem like she is putting on an act, trying a bit too hard and just not natural. It's OK but I am not sure about where she's going in this competition.

Matt

the final act is Matt with his own version of La Vida Loca. He even adds a rap to it and it is all on a very strange set - just a box that opens with dancers everywhere and then he's back in a box again. That was weird but a fairly good performance anyway.

My rating:

Girls: 1 Rae-Elle | 2 Grace | 3 Holly | 4 Alisah
Overs: 1 Kevin | 2 Tracy | 3 Matt

I can see Matt going home and Kevin being the winner.

I'm right about Kevin, who also goes on to win the prize, with poor old Rack-Su missing out twice now.

I'm wrong about Matt, though, as it is Tracy who goes home.

Live Shows: Week 1

Dermot O'Leary finally gets to do his real job and provides a great introduction to the first Live Show. Simon Cowell has suffered what is hopefully just a minor heart problem and is missing from the first week's shows. We wish him well.

We meet briefly the four Wild Cards as Jack & Joel, Talia, Alisah and Leon get another chance. We are also told about a change to the procedure whereby one act will be sent home out from the Girls or Boys categories on the Saturday show and another from the Overs or Groups on Sunday's show. This will be based entirely on the public vote during the evening, as will the candidates for a prize, this week a trip to see and meet Pink in New York.

This means we, and the acts, will get to know who is the most popular each week. That could be interesting. Tough on those who get chucked out so early. I have always maintained that the first dismissals should be deferred so that everyone gets a chance to settle and the viewers get a chance to know them. After that then, if there is a time pressure, several can be deleted at once but I have always thought the first week dismissals to be cruel and unfair, even though there are some rubbish acts that may deserve to go. Occasionally, however, a good act will mess up or simply not get appreciated as quickly as someone else.

The theme for the first two evenings is Express Yourself which, basically, just lets the acts choose whatever they like. I rather suspect that will be the case throughout.

So here goes.

Rai-Elle

This youngster gets the honour of kicking ff proceedings and does a pretty confident job of that too. She is quite likeable. A bit wobbly to start with but soon gets in the groove. No fear. Goes off-key and wobbles again in the middle but recovers a bit. She's not bad but she's going to go before long, I suspect.

Dermot mentions Towcester as a venue for the First prize! Not sure where that came from but thanks for the link, Dermot.

Spencer

I've heard he has a nice movie-star girlfriend. That may put off the girls who might otherwise have voted purely for the way he looks. He is a very good singer, a real professional with a Bryan Adams style of sorts at times. Excellent performance and he really should have some appeal.

Holly

I'm not sure how here 'Yorkshire lad' image will come across to voters as she is a bit confusing, image-wise, quite hard at times and then also way older than her 16 years too. This is a brilliant start for her, though. And she looks good. A difficult song and she comes across very professionally indeed. A really good performance. She should be safe.

Leon

A bit of an unknown so far. A weaker start than Spencer but still pretty good and nicely in tune and he moved around well, noticeably appealing more to younger fans than Spencer. Quite a surprise, in fact, and overall he was very good.

Alisah

A roller-coaster ride this has been for her, even allowing for the production team's editing of her progress so far. Her performance is theatrical again - just like a West End girl. She is good, very emotional but with super control and finishes well after recovering from one missed note. It was a big number. Nice girl. Laughing a lot as Dermot tries to interview her. That will make her have even more appeal, I'm sure as she does seem very natural. However, this is the Disney Girl, not an X Factor winner.

Sam

This guy has come back from nowhere to make the Live Shows courtesy of Louis. He's retro but very good. A bit odd in this competition and sounds a bit the same all the way though but a good effort. An interesting guy, seems relaxed and could be popular and definitely competition for Leon.

Grace

Another own song! How many has this girl got? You'd think this would be quite a risk for first night but all credit to her. I am not sure the make-over has worked well for her. The song is nice and very well-performed indeed. She is good on the big stage. Nice job.

Lloyd

Good solid performance but he comes across as rather boring to me. All very smooth but I just don't think he's X Factor material.

I rate the Boys:
1 Leon
2 Spencer
3 Sam
4 Lloyd

and the Girls:
1 Holly
2 Grace
3 Alisah
4 Rai-Elle

In a brutal ending, Spencer is the surprise first exit. I wonder whether the US connection simply didn't work well.

No.1 tonight was Grace.

In Part 2 it is the Groups and the Overs. Alisha replaces Simon this evening as someone needs to introduce the Groups, his category, and speak for them.

The CutKelvins

This super trio starts the show and it is a marvellous start with What About Us. The girl, Shereen, is very attractive and so professional, really at home on the big stage. Great performance, genuine stars. Good to see the two boys also playing their part this time too. I like this band and hope they'll be around for a good time. Potential winners.

Kevin

AN unusual song. Slow, bluesy but it does develop with a lot of passion and that helps to show off his really very good voice and lovely personality. Nice job. Faultless performance number two in this edition.

Talia

Extremely long legs. Sings a slow version of Id's You Don't Know You're Beautiful. Not that great. Nervous at the start and not in as great control as I'd like to see at this stage. Notes a bit wrong and inclined to shout too. I'm not sure she'll make it.

Jack & Joel

Nice couple of lads, back as Wild Cards, and they immediately remind us just how bad last year's Ottavia were. These two are talented and come across very well. People will like them. Cheerful and energetic. Nice performance and one is a very good singer too. Good work. They'll get through.

Matt

Earthy voice. Quite good and in tune with some energy and a good attempt at some drama. Bit of the Bruce Springstein about him perhaps. Not spectacular, though. A better image than Talia s he's safe while she's there.

Sean & Conor price

The younger lad seemed very nervous tonight and nothing like as in-tune as he has been before. The performance improved a bit as they settled and it was quite interesting but not a great song and a big risk at this stage. I'm not sure how much support they'll get with that start. A London grammar song is a great idea and nicely current but will enough voters get it? They may struggle.

Tracy Leanne

Something of a dark horse, this girl. A very good performance. Maybe a bit dated but I can see she'll have a lot of appeal in the Amy Winehouse-type sector. She'll survive and may well do very well.

Rak-Su

Another original song. Very good and very commercial as well. Well done. A good presentation and each member has a way to come across well. Lots of energy and all very current which puts Sean & Conor Price in the danger zone.Amazingly good response from the audience too.

My votes:

The Overs
1 Kevin | 2 Tracy Leanne | 3 Matt | 4 Talia

The Groups
1 The Cutkelvins | 2 Rak-Su | 3 Jack & Joel | 4 Sean & Conor Price

It looks like Talia shoul;d be the one to go home and, yes, that's the way it goes.

Rak-Su get the #1 spot in the public vote. So it is for them to sing again with Grace to decide who gets the trip to see and meet Pink.

Grace does a remarkably good performance of her own song Too Young. An absolutely lovely performance. That's a hit single, for sure.

Rak-Su redo the track they finished just a short while ago. That's also very good and also original and another hit in the making.

I find this 'Prize Fight' thing necessary, though, and a bit odd as well as unbalanced.  Don't really see the point. It's great to hear to best acts again and all credit to the team for getting that on the menu but this stupid 'Prize Fight' is pathetic and just sad ITV again.

I would send them all over to the States or simply see who actually wants it. It was obvious that Grace was a big Pink fan and sort of matched the prize best. I don't know who Rak-Su follow but doubt it would be Pink so they'd not be so bothered other than having a great holiday. It comes a quite a relief and definitely the fairest result, then, to learn that it is, indeed, Grace who gets the trip. Whether that was really just on the public vote during 5 minutes we shall probably never know.

A very, very long programme that also included Stomrzy's quite impressive new single, a quite religious affair featuring Labyrinth.

Six Chair Challenge: madness rules OK, mostly just for TV

Now it's Simon's turn with the groups, most of which we really don't seem to have seen a great deal of so far.

Afro Swagg are first. No idea who they are. OK, some fun and they're got some appeal but I can't see them going very far.

Beau Road - another virtual unknown, although I do vaguely remember the very first audition. The first vocal was not good and they go off key afterwards several times. Not good.

The Cutkelvins - we do know them and they have been good, helped by an experienced girl lead. They're really good this time, streets ahead of the first two acts. A good length audition too. I don't understand why the auditions are such different lengths. Are they being cut back for the TV show?

Lemonade - another group we have seen almost nothing of. In fact I wondered whether they were a made-up group from entrants in other categories! They're very good and seem young and current too. The audience love them. Pretty clear that they'll be retained.

Easy Life - and another I haven't remembered, if, indeed, we've seen them before anyway. This is a replay of XFactor USA's Alex & Sierra's Say Something. Very nice but too short. Signs of talent there but they are a few years late.

Jack & Joel are in competition with the other brothers coming up. there's not really room for both, although they are different. A pretty professional performance was surprising with beat boxing and stuff which will have limited appeal. That gets stopped and they do a second song.That goes down well too and difficult not to give them a seat after that.

NQ - another new one on us viewers, competing with Beau Road and Lemonade. This is a bit boring, though. they're OK but not going anywhere. Nicole doesn't seem to be a fan and they don't get a second chance.

Rak Su - these guys we do know and they have also done well so far with very good reviews. They're doing an original track which is modern and maybe a bit boring but the crowd love them and the panel definitely want them. They get Beau Road's seat.

JBK is the Filipino group that we saw a couple of times. They're not for the UK market, though, just a cruise ship band. They could be good but they're something from the 1990s and the accents and style are not good in 2017. They get worse as they go on and end up being pretty poor. Louis, Sharon and Nicole seem to love them. Eh? Not sure why. Louis says they're the 'best vocal group'!! My God, Louis, what are you listening to? Odd indeed. They still get Afro Swagg's place.

Sean & Conor Price have been my own favourite act in the Groups category since they started. I find them an impressive talent. Louis says they're his favourite too. They do an original song. Nicole says they're her tip for the competition too. They get stopped. It seemed OK to me and far too early to know how the track might have developed anyway. They get a second song. It's a bit of a mess but I still want to see them through. They get the seat and the Easy Life pair go. Pity.

Now, Simon has formed a new girl group. Apparently they only got together at 10pm the night before so what they produce is all the more impressive. Hey Mama a Nicky Minaj track is great and really suites them well. The girls all come across as professional. It's pretty clear that they'll get a seat but there's some playing around with the viewers to come. Simon decides that they need another singer and brings in someone called Ash who was in one of the other groups. Not sure which. This is odd TV as well as you get the feeling it is not all as unplanned as it might appear.

The new girl gets to demonstrate how she can fit in at a moment's notice and they get a seat, of course. JBK are sent home. Good, although everyone shouts about that. there's a sing-off between lemonade and JBK and it's even more clear that sending JBK back to the Philippines is a good idea. Nicole is not at all happy and walks off. Louis wanted JBK too. Heaven help us.

Next we have the Overs and that is Nicole's category.

Danny Lambo is first up and I hadn't even realised that he was still in the competition. Goodness knows how that could be. They must be very short of talent. The crowd actually boo him. He's very poor but gets a seat. This is not a good start.

Talia Deane is next. She's nervous but really very good, an excellent performance, mostly, just loses track at the end a bit. The crowd like her a lot. The panel gives us their views - we didn't get that for the previous act. She gets a seat.

Bill Downs sings Songbird  through his nose mostly. A very, very short track - just two lines! Better than Danny but no point putting him on a seat, although he does get one for now.

Klavko. Oh dear. Whilst he is better than many of previous years' 'Louis Acts' it seems pretty mad to keep him. The crowd are not that impressed either.

So far this is a pathetic category.

Gary Barker is average. He has a good voice but is really not here as a winner.

Berget Lewis puts the others in the shade vocally but she is still not a winner. She can sing but she is unattractive when she is singing and not someone that seems to appeal much. She has come from Holland where she couldn't make it and sees the UK as a better market. She could get a West End part from this maybe.

Leroy is an old bloke, 70+. An enjoyable act but really?? Crazy Nicole gives him a seat. At least that sends Danny Lambo home.

Loverine is another Filipino act. There are several this year doing well. She was good in auditions and is better than all we've seen so far but is she really current or just a big club singer? Now we get the weird stuff for TV. Nicole gives Loverine Talia Deane's seat while the old man and the boring other guys stay. That is quite wrong. Surely even she can see that. This has to be for TV. Talia does, indeed, get called back and the Bill bloke goes.

Kevin Davy White is next and he is a really good singer who does deserve a seat. He's a natural, great voice and nice personality. He'll go far. An easy seat decision and Gary B goes. If Nicole really had doubts about Talia then surely she would have sent her home now?

John Lilygreen is next and sings his own song. Good, very professional, although, again, what we see seems much too short and it has to have been edited, surely! I'm not sure how far he'd go but he is better than the old Leroy chap so needs to be kept for now at least. He gets the seat but it is Loverine who Nicole sends away! This is really quite odd. I do not know what is going on.

Matt Linnen comes on and you can see that Nicole is a major fan of this guy. He's a bit like Bruce Springstein used to be. One of the best of her category and a definite contender we could see in the Live Shows. His song was a bit of a mess but he's in and finally old Leroy goes. Fair enough.

Tracy Leanne Jefford is the one with the accent and very black hair. she has a good song in You Don't Own Me but Simon stops her as she gets going. She struggles with high notes. She offers to do it a capella but still doesn't make the notes. Seems that she has chosen the wrong song, key or something. Simon says that she really should still get through, despite all that. I guess they must have seen her in rehearsals or something. Anyway, to everyone's surprise she gets a seat and John Lily green goes home, not looking that pleased about it, either. I suspect that he won't be supporting the X Factor in future.

A very messy set there but eventually the Overs get their six contestants and Talia survives.

The last category to be sorted out is The Boys and it's Louis's turn.

Lloyd Macey is first on. he has a very fine voice but is just a little too old style for this competition with his auditions. Nice chap and gets an initial seat which makes sense.

Leon Mallet is one of a duo that I don't recall. They got split and enter now as individuals. This guy is good and the girls will love him as he has some kind of appeal. He's modern and that went down very well. Louis drags out whether he should or shouldn't have a seat and it's all a bit silly. It's obvious to everyone that he'll get one so let's just get on with the show, Louis. Please.

Leon's brother Alex is not so good and he gets sent home. Fair enough.

Anthony Russell is the Liverpool lad who was always leaping around and seemed a bundle of nervous energy. He's very likeable and now appears in a dark suit! Very smart but not what anyone expected. He says he's £80 overdrawn and shows us the tags are still in the jacket! He's a great character. Not sure how much of that I believe but more than maybe I should! Anyway, he does a nice, calm version of You're Beautiful. Not the best of tracks and he did start wobbling at the end but the crowd love him and he deserves the seat he gets.

Spencer is the guy from Ohio who wished they were still doing X F actor USA. He tries Don't Cha which is Nicole's old group, Pussycat Dolls' track, so risky. He does a great version. very talented. More terrible acting from Louis. Gets the seat eventually.

Enesi is another new one to me. He does Human Nature really quite well. They need a black guy on the show but Louis says no. That's a surprise. Enesi is not going to be a fan of X Factor either.

Benji Matthews has been very good so far. A bit quirky but the guy can write excellent songs and I can them being picked up by SYCO so he'll get a contact one way or another. It's a too short audition for viewers again but seems very good. Nice personality. Simon didn't like the song but Louis gives him a seat after the usual pathetic acting.

Gregor Coleman sings Yellow. Great song but not well performed. Not a good enough singer and this is one of the few times I've disagreed with Simon Cowell who reckoned he was one of the best. He gets a seat.

Aidan Martin plays the piano and songs what I think is also an own song. An emotional performance and he puts a lot into this and we get a decent length track for this one. Big audience response. Now the crazy stuff again. Louis wants to give him Leon's seat. No way. Louis brings Leon back after an age and all sorts of TV nonsense. I can't remember who he sends home instead. All a bit silly.

Russell Jones is on and is distinctly retro and a bit weird. He is a bit embarrassing and gets sent home pretty quickly.

Last up is Jack Mason, the red cheeked slightly chubby chappie that X Factor always seems to find for the grannies. He sings Rise Up which is not an easy song to do. He works hard and maybe goes a bit OTT with this but at least you can see he cares. He gets his pace but silly Louis says it's between Spencer and Benji who should go home. Eh?? What's going on?

Spencer does a few lines of A Change Is Gonna Come and is superb. Benji is much less confident with a few lines from Some people and he struggles with the notes so the decision would be obvious. But now Louis wants Lloyd to sing too. He seems pretty mad. Lloyd is actually extremely good under pressure and is better than both of them in that sing-off! So Louis sends Benji home. Sharon and Nicole are very annoyed but that's the way this crazy show goes at this stage.

A mad time, not helped by some made for TV moments and some weird editing. at the end, the six people going forward seem Ok and not at all bad as a selection with no majot omissions I can think of.

You can see a summary of the Top 24 at the page linked in the menu.

Six Chair Challenge: The Girls. No More Annoying Mums.

The last auditions in the second (and slightly better) part of Boot Camp continues with people performing on a decent stage in Wembley.

The Clique did a very messy version of Scrubs which could have been good but this group we shall see no more.

Daniel Quick is a tubby lad who the grannies will love. He gets too much TV padding too, with a whole load of stuff to extend his session. He is off-key despite a good effort and a generally good voice. He does try hard to get through but Simon, seeing quite a lot of sense this year, says no and that's his chances gone for another year. There was a hint here that Nicole might get the Boys.

Scarlett Lee is the orange girl. She puts in quite a decent performance but still insists on mangling words unnecessarily. There is some talent there and she is confident and takes her own way forward rather than copying others. The make-up, though, is dreadful and she is not at all pleasant to watch on a big screen.

Anthony Russell can only come from Liverpool with that accent. Likeable chap but you do wonder whether he has some disorder with all the bouncing around and need to talk all the time. He is 'manic' as Simon says and gets asked to do something a capella. That's much better as he tends to stay put a bit more and you can see he has a great voice and you can't help liking the chap and his attitude. The crowd love him and he's entertaining too. A possible dark horse.

Another group comes on. Could be Rack Su. They clearly know what they're doing and we just get a glimpse and they're through.

Tracey Leanne has a great song in Be My Baby which, whilst old school, works magnificently for her. She is quite talented but still has a bit of the cruise singer about her and I don't see her going much further despite getting through this time.

Slavko is the guy from Montenegro's Eurovision entry that Nicole loves for some reason I fail to comprehend. He looks like being the 'odd ball' this year. In fact, this performance was not at all bad as he didn't try the silly stuff with his pony tail which fell off anyway, destroying quite a few publicity shots and his reputation for having the longest one in the business.

Deanna sings Thinking Out Loud and always seems to choose quite tough songs. She looks fabulous and is a ready-made star in my view. She was not as good this evening as she has been but I am pretty sure she'll be in the Live Shows and in with a good chance of winning.

Talia Dalorto is nervous. Mother calling out is annoying. She is OK but not spectacular. I would drop her at this stage.

Nicole Caldwell is really nervous and Nicole S gives her a hand. A very nice touch that didn't seem rehearsed. One she gets going the second time she is much more alive but I still feel she could be a bit too limited for the show.

Grace Davis ends the evening with something a  bit special. This girl is really, really good. Not only does she come across well but she has an extraordinary talent in writing as she does yet another of her own songs and brings the house down. She is a star, for sure, whatever happens on this programme.

We learn at the end who gets which category. Simon has the groups, Nicole the Overs (surprisingly), Louis has the Boys and Sharon the Girls.

Now we move on to the Six Chair Challenge.

Sharon starts with her choices for the Girls.

Scarlett Lee has even more shades of orange now. She claims to be a make-up artists but really someone needs to give her some advice in that department. As for her audition, she puts in a good effort but I fear her mangling of words will get annoying and she is definitely not pleasant to watch. However, there is talent and she gets a seat to start.

Hayley gets about two lines of Come Together and doesn't get a chair. She wasn't at all bad in what we did hear but I guess she was never going to get far anyway.

Sky Sarong-Hermaline may not be her correct name but that was all I could read quickly. I don't remember this girl at all. Who is she? Another very short effort, though, and too little to get anything from. She seems a nice girl but a bit average. She gets a seat.

Rae-Elle is the little girl from Croydon. Just 16 and looks just 16. She does Bridge Over Troubled Water with no backing track. Very good and the crowd like her. She seems quite smart for her years and deserves that seat, albeit still a bit average.

Holly Tandy is also very young but immediately comes across as so much better than all we've seen so far! Just spot-on straight away. She sings Lady Gaga's On The Edge really well. A brilliant, if too short, audition. Thoroughly deserves the seat.

Nicole, the nervous one from yesterday, has a very good audition with Praise You and seems to have found herself at last. Nevertheless we get the feeling Sharon is not a fan and, despite being far better than several already sat there, she is out.

Shanayah, in contrast, is off-key with a bad start to her song. Quite painful listening to her and she has a very annoying mother in the audience. This is awful. So is her make-up. She gets a seat, though. God knows why.

Elysa V is from Australia and we haven't seen a great deal of her to date. She does a modern Meghan Trainer number well, the first real 21st Century track really. She can perform and is quite different to everyone else. She gets a seat.

Talia D is back with another excellent start. She is a good singer and better than several already seated. She gets a seat.

Alisha is the girl from the Philippines that gets lots and lots of coverage - she is like the poster girl for the 2017 show. A very popular act and she has a great voice. In some ways she would suit the West End better than the charts but I can see why the judges and SYCO would want to keep her on board and get her onto the Live Shows anyway. She has a decent length audition too, interestingly, compared to most others. She gets Talia's seat.

Jenny Ball is, again, better than any on seats and gets Shanaya's seat which is a good move. I still don't see Jenny making the Live Shows though as she seems a bit average really. Nevertheless it's good to see Shanaya out. The audience didn't like that, though.

Deanna is next. This is my prediction to go a long way in the competition and I can imagine she'll get a contract anyway. She is brilliant again. Her range, appearance, presence and attitude are all faultless. Tonight, though, I still give Holly the edge but, of course, Deanna gets a seat and Jenny goes.

Grace Davis produces yet another original song! This girl has so much natural talent. She is a fantastic find this year and ought to be a sure-fire Live Show contestant. Quite a risk to do an original at this stage but it works really well. Great notes, control and the song shows off her voice and range very well, as one might expect, of course. She is a force to be reckoned with and a guaranteed contract, whatever happens.

Now the fund starts and you wonder whether we're just being played as an audience. Sharon gives Grace Alisha's seat. This has to be for TV as I know that Alisha does actually get through!  So the crowd and other three judges complain and moan and shout for a while.

Poor Kelsey Gill has to cope with all that which seems most unfair. A pretty blonde that we have not seen much of, she also does an original and that's a very nice audition. I'd definitely give her a chance but Sharon doesn't. Simon makes a comment that he has seen several girls rejected that he would like to see in the show still. He says to Louis he can see a girl group being put together and, of course, he is in charge of the groups too.

Georgina P is pretty good. We have seen a lot of her before and she is a Top 6 girl for sure. She wobbles around some of her notes but is a great performer and better by far than Scarlett. Georgina gets the seat but who goes?

Sharon asks Scarlett, Rae-Elle and Alisha to sing again for the fifth and sixth seats. Scarlett's bad habits all returned. Quite painful to listen too and watch. Rae-Elle is so composed for her age. Far better too. The Alisha seems to find a completely different side to her character, producing rap, modern, totally 21st Century performance and making everyone wonder where on Earth that came from! So it's pretty obvious that Scarlett has to go.

Good. No more noisy mums.

Boot Camp. Glad that's over.

This is Boot Camp. It is not the most pleasant section of X Factor to watch and I really do think they should make some major changes to make this weekend's viewing rather more pleasant.

The Wall Of Songs seems a strange concept to me. What on Earth has the ability to run across a room, read song titles and grab them before someone else have to do with one's potential to entertain and delight an audience?

Oh well, it's over fairly soon and the slightly better Wembley Stage auditions are much more appropriate for those who reach them.

First there are 124 acts that have to get reduced to about one-third the number between now and the Six Chair Challenge coming up next weekend.

There isn't a great deal one can write about what happens in the first stage so here are one-liners for those who deserve them:

Kevin Day White just sings and gets on with it. Expect to see more of him.
Anthony Russell bounces around rather desperately but could be OK.
The Cutkelvins are nicely energetic.
Georgina P gets lots of praise but seems to be all over the place, notes-wise
Talia - not enough to be able to comment
Scarlett Lee - annoyingly OTT
Daniel and Harvey - very unexceptional
Rack Su - excellent again. You'll see more of them.
New Dynamix - also good.
Holly T - one of my favourites except for her serious face which doesn't make her quite as likeable as she may need in the Live Shows which she could reach.
Chloe - I couldn't hear her
FAE - never seen this group before?
Aidan - is he really 27? Stood out but a bit off.
Jodie - she is very annoying and actually not at all good. Not worth the tv time she's getting.
Mother & Daughter 'Descendance' - as expected the mother is pretty useless and doesn't stand a chance whereas the daughter could do well and we get the 'arranged for TV' will-she-won't-she thing and, after far too long, Hayley, the daughter, goes forward alone.
Russell Jones - good but in totally the wrong company!
Alisah B - the girl from the Philippines is very good, although just a little bit too desperate, I feel. It is odd TV when they say she is not through when one considers the paucity of talent in many of the acts they have put forward to the Wembley round.
Rae-Elle - another good girl we'll see more of
Deanna - my potential winner. Excellent audition again.
MQ - couldn't tell who or what they were.
Lloyd - very good.
Grace - very good, excellent in fact.
Spencer from the States is also excellent
Gregor - OK, I suppose but that's all.

Now we get Part 2 and some single auditions on stage - much better idea of what the acts could be like.
.
Matt Linnen has a pretty solid audition with a slightly weird If I Were A Boy. He's reliable but i don't see him winning.

Shanaya is very popular with the audience but she isn't very good. Massive applause but too many bad notes for my liking.

The annoying and not particularly attractive Jodie makes a return. Very modest audience welcome and virtually no applause. She's out, thank goodness.

Alisha is back again. Simon says You got so upset. Well, naturally. You chucked her out. She performs Gravity. She is a potential West End star for sure and really should get some offers there. She could be a bit old-fashioned for X Factor 2017 and also does actually miss rather too many notes along the way. She has a nice personality and does make good TV in the meantime.

They continue on Sunday:

Sean & Conor price were one of the best at the first auditions. Begging seemed OK to me but Sim asks for another. That also seems good. The crowd love them and I'd definitely want to see them progress. They do, eventually, get put through but you do have to wonder just how much of the deliberation and doubt was purely for the viewers.

SJ Hill is simply boring and forgettable.

Jack Mason - I don't know if we saw his first audition or Boot camp efforts. He is a very good singer. Not sure I want to watch him but he certainly sounds good. Is he modern enough, though?

The Cutkelvins are back again. It really is the girl who does it all at the moment. Very professional.

Gary Barker - another not visually someone I want to watch but a fair voice. I don't see him going far, though.

Holly Tandy is 16 today! Well, the day of that audition. Marvellous. One of the best. Just too young to know what the words of some tracks really might mean, that's all.

Sam Beck sings Runaway. He did something like that before too. Great 1950s style voice and I can see him doing well in some West End shows along those lines. He doesn't make it through but does propose to his fiancee on stage!

Berget is the Purple Rain lady and is very professional again. She deserves to go to the next stage but I am not sure she is up-to-date and likely to sell records.

Karen Kennedy is similar. Good, professional but just out of date now. No-one is going to buy her records.

Jordan sings his own songs. Neither are great. That's it for him. Bad move.

LT from Essex, whoever he is, does actually have a decent song of his own. He is through but I am not sure he'll catch people's attention.

Benji from Cornwall is a pleasant chap. Patchy performance in places and I don't see him going far but the sort of contestant to have around a while.

Georgina P is back. She wailed last time and was all over the place but seems to get tremendous backing from the judges. This time she did much better. She is quite the performer and seemed more at home on the big stage. One to watch.

That's it. An odd, not very entertaining weekend of X Factor. They did cut many of the bad acts which is a good sign but still a scrappy programme visually.

Week 4 and it is all very disappointing. Where are the stars?

We're told this is the penultimate round of auditions which means Sunday will be the last. That's good and bad news; good because these have generally not been a great series of auditions and I have not been looking forward to seeing the show anything like as much as I used to and bad because I cannot imagine we could possibly have seen enough star quality people to populate twelve or more spaces on Live Shows.

Seriously, has anyone really stood out and made you think Now there's a potential winner? Not for me.

We get the fuzzy recaps again and I wonder whether there'll be more groups, noticeably absent so far. It's a theme park, again. X Factor must have done a deal with Alton Towers or whoever the other one is.

Spencer Sutherland has come from Ohio. Maybe they need to resurrect X Factor USA. It's Nicole's old school town and this is the first of at least three lads she genuinely fancies during the weekend. He's OK. The collar adjustment at the start is a bit dated, though, but I guess there's some hope he could improve and be entertaining.

Alex & Leon are ITG. Great Yarmouth. Bingo. Oh dear. Grannies will love them. I don't. They do an Ed Sheeran number and may have some potential but are a bit tedious. Simon agrees and says no. The others put them through, though.

Matt Linnen is the second chap for Nicole. He sings Trouble in a lazy way. It's OK and worth putting him through as he could do a great Bruce Springstein number.

Scarlet Lee is extremely tanned, embarrassingly so. Awful. She hails from Surrey and its seems Essex has spread west. She claims to be a make-up artist but I feel sorry for anyone getting made up by her. She way too much hair and that colour face! This is one of those extended auditions, supposedly for our entertainment as she gets to do another song. She has drawings of the judges that she did ten years ago. T shirts, banners get waved by her relatives outside. Jeez. This is painful. She could sing but needs an awful lot of advice to get out of bad habits and I still don't fancy seeing her on my screen. She just makes it through.

Rayelle is next. 16 and from Croydon. She's pretty good and the first modern act of the evening. Good performer too but hardly a future star at this point of the game.

Brad Howard is a model and knows he's good looking. Nicole's attracted for the third time. He does look good but he has no chance. nevertheless he makes Boot Camp. How?

Now we get the crazies. Peter Warwick is an actor. Louis likes him. Afro Swagg. Oh dear. Awful. Another Louis group. Salvco Kalezic was Montenegro's Eurovision entry this year. He has a ridiculously long pony tail that I vaguely remember being part of his act in Eurovision. He is weird. A good performer but really not someone anyone will want to vote for. Montenegro didn't even make the Final either.

Alisah has come from the Philippines and gets a lot of build up. You expect something very special but she is disappointing. No bad but it's a nervous start and many notes are not great either. In places it is painful. All very emotional, though, and as she's a sweet girl she gets through. Of course.

Having ended Saturday's show with someone reasonable you kinda hope they'll continue on Sunday as there really is a need for some good acts. Have they been saving them all up for us?

No, Oh dear #2. Two blokes in white suits. Bros but far worse than Bros. Awful. And they wonder why viewing figures are so low?!

Next we get two halves of a professional duo auditioning separately.

Johnny Wright is not very good at all.

Jenny Ball is much better. She tries to sing Titanium. That was not that great either. Maybe better than many who have been put through but i don't see her gong very far. The judges like her but she was hardly 'amazing' as they all claim.

I'm still waiting to see someone that I look forward to seeing again. This is not a great start.

Suzi Shepherd wastes most of the programme. Pathetic - very poor and obvious set-up for tv, getting her to do another number that requires some sort of change of clothing. What on earth was the point of that?!

Rueul Elijah sings This is how to do it and finally we get a reasonably good audition. His range isn't great but he has bags of personality.

Danny Lambo has three Lamborghinis, apparently. Oh dear #3. He's followed by an equally idiotic Simon who is dressed in gold and is also rubbish. Then we get Just Us. Oh dear #4. Even worse - Louis and Nicole seem to feel they need to get on stage to join them and Simon is booking the act for UK's next Eurovision entry. I am about to give up on this show. It isn't even funny. Dreadful televsion.

Berget Lewis is a big lady from Holland. She used sing in church so you get the idea of where she's coming from and where she's likely to go. She does Purple Rain and is quite professional, having been a backing singer for many years. She isn't 'fantastic' though, as the judges say. I guess after all they've had to put up with she might have seemed fantastic in comparison. She's just old style belt it out.

Well, that's all folks.

God help us.