X-Factor / Mike Norman / 09 November 2008 / 2

Mike Norman rounds up the latest happenings amongst the pop star wannabes with the aid of Rik Waller.

Amidst all the excitement of Strictly, X Factor and jungle fever, I decided to get one up on my erudite colleague Jack Houghton this week by purchasing every single copy of Reality TV Weekly. The hope was to prevent him from gaining any 'insider knowledge' on the remaining X Factor contestants.

However, I can reveal a dark secret, a huge scandal - betting.betfair columnist Jack Houghton is in fact the sole editor of the purchased publication.

Cast your minds back to 2002, when you were all astonished at Jack being voted Reality TV Tipster of the Year ahead of Chubby 'The Couch' Morris. Chubby correctly predicted (at 500/1) that Rik Waller would be unable to take his place in the final due to an eating disorder (he couldn't pass the fridge without opening it), and would be replaced by Darius Danesh, who would go on to sell something platinum after all (he sold his gran's earrings after his pop career dwindled).

We all know that Chubby should have won... but he didn't. Is Mr Houghton the pioneer of reality TV voting scams? You can forward your suspicions to Oftal (that's the Office of Tipster Award Loopholes)!

The mention of Waller leads me nicely onto recent events at The X Factor studios. Waller was the guy who couldn't sing one night because of illness and was kicked out of the competition (under the Pop Idol format). On Saturday, Diana Vickers was too ill to take to the stage but instead of being eliminated from the competition she was automatically put through to the next round. What's all that about?

The ruling was that Diana's sore throat was an 'exceptional circumstance' and that she shouldn't have her dream of stardom shattered because of it. I bet Dannii Minogue is thinking up some exceptional circumstances right now so that her acts can keep advancing. I've got one... during rehearsals Rachel Hylton puts her hands round the throat of Daniel Evans to try and strangle out his dreadful voice. Daniel can't perform because he is in hospital, while Rachel is unable to attend Saturday's show because she is doing community service - exceptional circumstances indeed - but hey, we'll see them both next week!

Favourite or no favourite, Diana ([2.26] to win) should have gone on Saturday and poor Laura White has every right to feel aggrieved that she is no longer in the competition. I should be pleased - for two weeks running I strongly advised people to oppose Laura in The Girls market - but I can't help feeling that she, and not Diana, should still be around. Still, Laura leaves us all with the lasting memory of being the only artist in the world to get a piano to keep playing once she steps away from it!

Stealing the show on Saturday was my [8.2] selection Alexandra Burke (now just [3.8] to win). She took on a difficult Mariah Carey song (Without You) but pulled it off with ease and brilliance, resulting in a standing ovation from the judges and shouts of "Bravo, Bravo" in the Norman household. Alexandra is now [2.6] in The Girls market, with Diana ridiculously short at [1.39].

Now into third favourites to win the competition, JLS ([8.0]) are getting better by the week and once again proved they are a group of enormous potential. A few weeks ago I said I couldn't see them winning, but I might just have to have a rethink if they continue in this vein.

Breaking news form The X Factor house is that Duracell are bringing out a new product and calling it the 'Daniel Evans Battery' - like its namesake, it will be cheap, last longer than better products, and be in every household by Christmas. Do I really need to say anything else about Daniel other than that he is (not surprisingly) the favourite in the 6th Elimination market at [1.94] - Rachel is [3.95] and Ruth Lorenzo is available at [5.8].

Rachel ([48.0] to win), Ruth ([30.0]) and Eoghan Quigg ([8.2]) performed averagely at the weekend and I now concede that I can't see any of these acts winning the competition. Rachel especially seems to suffer badly with nerves which in a way I can relate to. Back in 1986 nerves nearly caused me to mess up my caterpillar routine when I was voted the Primrose Valley Breakdancer of the Week (incidentally, Jack Houghton is yet to win this award).

My advice to Rachel would be to try and block out the nerves and just keep going - though don't lie on your front and wiggle your arse up and down like I did!

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1. lisa | 14 November 2008

   I love JLS and hope they win but I think Diana has it in the bag now

2. lisa | 14 November 2008

   I love JLS and hope they win but I think Diana has it in the bag now.

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