The X Factor, Saturday, 8pm, ITV1

Posted by Michael Baggs

Everyone got a little hysterical last weekend when Lucie Jones was eliminated from The X Factor instead of John and Edward. Within minutes of her shock departure, the internet was full of people declaring that they would never watch the show again (they watched) and that the show was a fix (it isn’t).

Jedward bashing has hit the world of celebrity, as this week's show saw clueless Scottish popstar Calvin Harris invade the X Factor stage during John and Edward’s actually-very-good cover of ‘Under Pressure’ by Queen / Vanilla Ice. Hating John and Edward has become a national pastime, but Harris’ ‘hilarious’ attempt to upstage the boys by leaping into the middle of their performance with a pineapple on his head (yes, our sides are splitting) phased the brothers not one bit as they continued their performance. The twins have endured weeks of cruel campaigns online and in the tabloid press but there seems to be nothing that these boys can’t rise above. Their determination and resolve is as steadfast as their trademark quiffs.

However, this week’s show was far from the series’ strongest. Choosing Queen as the band to honour may have seemed like a good idea on paper, but Queen were more than just some blokes with a load of good songs. The true Queen legacy has a good deal to do with Freddie Mercury, and as talented as the contestants are, no one managed to capture the grandeur or brilliance of their chosen tune. Most notably Stacey Solomon, who tackled ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’. While she was the evening’s vocal highlight, giving this track, with the emotional resonance of it being made famous by a man who died from Aids, to a singer who (bless her) is hardly the brightest button in the biscuit tin was an odd move. She was flawless, but it was like giving the Mona Lisa a wipe with a damp cloth - some things you just don’t touch.

Less flawless was Jamie Archer, who, as a ‘rocker’ should have excelled this week. Instead, his ‘Radio GaGa’ was as much fun as radio static. The usually impeccable Olly Murs struggled with ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, although maybe we can blame that on his broken finger. Lloyd Daniels had one of his strongest weeks so far singing ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’, but was outshone by Joe McElderry’s ‘Somebody to Love’. Little Joe is like a pop relic from a forgotten age of cute popstar boys, like Leon Jackson without the tears or Ray Quinn without being such a nuisance, and as he improves week-by -week, Joe becomes a real contender to win the show. Danyl Johnson closed the show with an oh-so-sincere ‘We Are the Champions’, leaving us slightly glum that nobody had the guts to tackle ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. 

Comments

[michael]

The judges are obviously biased as they always vote for their own act which usually means only two judges have to decide, almost inevitably it goes to the public vote.Leaving the vote to teenage girls on their mobiles. This is not justice judges should not be allowed to vote for their own act.

[michael]

Louis Walsh must be getting desperate to convince the public that the dreadful duo are singers,like getting Westlife, managed by Walsh to ask for their autographs. Surely the public can see through this blatent hype. I havnt seen anything to suggest they are any more than Walshes, puppets. The public is being duped!Rock on Jamie

[Rhiannon]

I love Joe but I think Olly has a big chance of winning! But I do like Jedward!!!

[Amaty]

OMG Stacy and Danyle to win I Mean who ever wants Jedward to win are deaf although they have been getting better.

[Diane]

Now that they have discovered this website which a lot of people were voting through - most of them from Ireland - it will be interesting to see if Jedward's votes drop dramatically. And please someone shut the audience up a bit - they seem to cheer like demented banshees whoever it is.

[ijt]

Jamie was set up by Simon. One of his three had to sing first (usually a poor vote-getting position), plus he gave Jamie, who could have sung Queen brilliantly, a naff song, plus (if we forget Louis'ridiculous "critique") Simon told Jamie at the end of his Saturday performance that he had done everything he wanted in the contest and had got a lot out of it - exit talk more appropriate to the Sunday show! Of course, this show is rigged.

[mike haggerty]

the twins should be given a break their only doing as they are told, ok they dont put the effort in when it comes to choreography and they cant sing like some of the others cos they just kids having a laugh, but remember the public vote on what they see not always on what they hear,it's all about entertainment sadly some take it too serious,it' very amusing:)

[ilovecalvinharris!]

Calvin Harris, what a ledge! :L

[gilly]

I THINK THAT JAMIE SHOULD HAVE STAYED. HE IS NOT SO ''BORING'' AND STRAIGHT AS THE OTHERS AND HE COULD EASILY FRONT A REALLY GOOD BAND WITH PANACHE, PLEASE LET SOMEONE ASK HIM TO JOIN THEM, HE REALLY ROCKS ON STAGE BUT IS ALSO ABLE TO SING A REALLY HEARTFELT BALLAD.

[rattysas]

I always assumed that X was a singing competion! fact is niether of the twins can sing!
Both of 'em should go and take the other idiot Louis wth them!
Be interesting to listen to an album from them tho, Autotune fixes a multitude of sins!! Simon PLEASE DONT renew Walshes contract next seson what a twit BIGTIME!

[issie]

Absolute farce of a programme now why should the judges be asked to vote when it comes down to the public vote eventually anyway. Is the audience rented from 'Scream- as-loud-as-you can a crowd' it is deafening and the judges tryimg to shout over them is stupid.

[marie]

the only reason i can see why the twins are still there is the silly teenagers with their mobile phones as we know every one of them has one and they love to use them the twins are total rubbish and i feel for the singers they are putting out of the contest now simon has lost jamie get a life for allowing the twins to carry on

[el]

Unsurprisingly, Simon Cowell changed his tune when commenting on the twins last night suggesting he was beginning to see what people liked about them!! I think after what he did last week he would have found it hard to criticise them again but to do such a u-turn last night made him look an idiot.

[sue]

Alan Pollard.

The boys do have some fans out there, its obvious as they wouldn't still be in it. I think what generally cheesed people off and made them threaten to boycott the show in future, was the fact that the hard man of the show, who usually doesn't mind making himself heard, who slated the boys since day one, bottled it and decided not to vote them off, despite them clearly being off key, out of sinc and generally terrible compared to Lucie. Instead he chose to go to deadlock, knowing full well that the boys would have more votes simply for the rating and further publicity for his show. He based his decision on money and not talent, and at the end of the day, isn't that the whole purpose of the show. The boys are getting far more publicity than the rest of the of the contestants and I think that is unfair to the rest of them. Every paper/magazine is plastered with them at the moment, which gives them an unfair advantage with the public votes.

[sue]

I was disappointed last night, a lot of the voices seemed to be drowned out by the choir and music. The only one that stood out for me was Stacey.

As for John & Edward, I think it was Louis turn to cheat this time, thought it was supposed to be Queen week not Vanilla Ice. Got to hand it to Danni for saying probably what a lot of people were thinking home. Perhaps he should take a look at his own rule book. They didn't sing Under Pressure, it was mainly Vanilla Ice and a few lines from Under Pressure and what does Vanilla Ice do, rap, so they got away, once again by talking their way through a song and half heartedly making it sound like singing. It isn't a singing contest while they are still in it, its a joke.

[Double T]

Michael Baggs,

Dont treat the public with contempt you moron. Many people said they would not watch it again, including me (& I didn't). The viewing figures for last night will be the judge, not you

[Starstruck]

Simon Cowel lost his bottle last week and in doeing so, upset a lot of people, me included. As for Mr Walsh, so much for thinking Lucy would be the last girl standing. What is the point of having the judges at this stage of the competition when they simply tie therir votes in order to refer the final decision back to the viewers?

[June]

If the twins don't go out this week we then know it's all a fix and there's no use wasting money on voting.

[Jen]

Though last week, i think simon was keeping his own acts safe. Ask yourself'If you were a judge on that show, would you not get rid of the good acts first? in an attempt to secure a win for one of your own acts....

[Steve]

I can't beleive you actually like John and Edward. The show IS a fix if they win it. Why didn't he vote them off over someone who was clearly much better? He has publicly stated his hatred for them since their audition. And now because of them, one of the best singers in the competition has gone home (Lucie). And no, she probably won't get a contract else where, because when was the last time you saw someone who got voted off near the start bring out a single? Other than comedy acts like Chico and Cheeky Girls I can think of none. Also, yes the Calvin Harris stunt was hilarious.

[spudrockdj]

after last week it will either be one or 2 of simons act in the bottom 2 or the twins v one of simons acts lets say for aguments sake olly the twins would be gone hopefully

[Kev]

It`s the muppets in the audience that get on my goat. Someone farts and they all scream in unison. Get a life...

[McBagpipe]

This is meant to be a talent show but the early rounds have led to the producers allowing people who clearly cant sing a note through to make the show a comedy rather than talent show at the contestants expense.
Never watched it last 2 years but watched it this year until last weeks reults show. Simon is great at his job but after his rants that he will leave the country and so on, if he was genuine he clearly would have jumped at the chance to get rid of them last week. The fact he didnt just goes to show the show is a fix...Wont be wasting my time with this rubbish any more, good talent this year spoiled by the fact its a fix

[bob]

ahhahahaha i dont like jedward but its funny how people either love em lots or hate em lots.
I'D rather vote fo rthem than Nick Griffin anyday! LOL

[north east girl]

I think personally this is a joke as them twins should of gone last week not lucie jones. its a hard one this year as there is too many fab singers. but watching the twins everyweek they seem to be getitng better they are better as rappers then singers

[Alan Pollard]

It is somewhat cynical to like the show so much, and be so involved with the show, to threaten to boycott it because of a disagreement with the selective process of evicting a act. I actually think the two boys are under the same conditions as the other contestants that, if they are not voted off, they deserve their slot.
They do provide a point of conversation for the nation. They're quite likeable, even though I dont know them personally. They stand out and are the main topic for debate, keeping interest in the show - that can't be bad!

[Angela]

I love Calvin Harris, good fun to see him do what he did, and the twins are really entertaining, they need those songs where they can just shout out the lyrics cause they haven't got good singing voices. I enjoyed it all anyway.

[KT]

Who on earth is Calvin Harris anyways.

[The Gnome]

This show is the kind of thing the rest of the world love as it makes a mockery of the British public. In fact the British public have made a mockery of themselves by showing how stupid they are to keep the awful twins in the competition so far!

This ranks along side Eddie The Eagle in pathetic-ness!

Yes show how dumb and stupid you can be Sun and Star readers you must be revelling in the fact that there are people in this land more stupid that yourselves - or are you the people involved?

[hannah]

Not Jedward to win please somebody better like stacey or lloyd

[Carol]

Surely the public will see common sense in the end and pass talent as the winner of the show and please not John and Edward. I don't dislike the boys but if they win it will just make a mockery of the whole thing. I'm sure last weeks tac tics by Simon has already damaged the show.

[jedwardtowin:)]

Calvin Harris didn't run on stage as an attempt to "upstage" them, or because he was taking part in "Jedward bashing". he later apologised for it all and said that he does infact love Jedward...as do most of us!

[mrsjedward]

jedward 2 win lol
olly ur fit bbex

[david]

Joe and Staceystole the show again.Hopefully singoff is Jamie/Danyl v dreadedful twins and then they'll go.No public vote from SC this week then