Gary Barlow: Twitter row. Photo credit: vagueonthehow, http://flic.kr/p/9P83Fs
The latest X Factor results show saw judge Kelly Rowland lose her first act to the public vote. Flame-haired, memory-impaired warbler Janet Devlin was booted off in favour of Misha B after the pair landed in the bottom two.
Forgetful. Sixteen-year-old Janet forgot the words – again – during her first song of the live show, Hanson’s ‘Mmmbop’. “The judges, thankfully, are taking pity on Janet because they seem to know that they’ve witnessed a genuine trainwreck of a performance,” reported Stuart Heritage on The Guardian liveblog. Janet blamed her forgetfulness on nausea, which is coincidentally exactly the same feeling The Periscope Post experienced on learning we would have to sit through a performance of ‘Mmmbop’.
Misha B good. Misha B ended up in the bottom two for the third time – and, in the ultimate insult, has been replaced at the end of the Marks & Spencer X Factor Christmas advert by returning contestant Amelia Lily. The Mirror‘s Polly Hudson was horrified by Misha’s fall from grace: “Misha B is the best. Think of it like Misha B(est) if it helps you remember it,” she said. Misha blames judge Tulisa for her drop in popularity, according to The Sunday People, after the N-Dubz star accused her of bullying other contestants earlier in the series.
The X Factor semi-final line-up: Marcus Collins (Boys, mentor Gary Barlow), Little Mix (Groups, mentor Tulisa Contostavlos), Misha B (Girls, mentor Kelly Rowland), Amelia Lily (Girls, mentor Kelly Rowland). Poor old Louis Walsh has no acts left in the competition.
Blam! Sock! Splat! T’Pau! Meanwhile, head judge Gary Barlow became embroiled in a Twitter row with T’Pau’s Carol Decker after suggesting she sang out of tune. He made the comment after Amelia Lily performed ‘China In Your Hand’, originally released by Decker, on the live show – prompting a furious response from the Eighties pop star: “what’s your f***ing problem? I actually have perfect pitch,” tweeted Decker. A contrite Barlow later tweeted an apology, proving once and for all that he is no Simon Cowell.
Strictly business. And perhaps the lack of Cowell is part of the reason The X Factor is still losing out to the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in the battle for ratings. The Daily Mail’s Simon Neville also suggested that “scandal, in-fighting and feuds” on this year’s series have contributed to the drop in viewers – although for some people, those are the top three reasons to watch The X Factor.
More on The X Factor
- The X Factor: Week Seven
- The X Factor: Week Six
- The X Factor: Halloween Week
