X Factor Review: One-trick pony still favourite

X-Factor / Mike Norman / 18 November 2008 / 1

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Poor old Daniel Evans finally got the cut on Saturday but who's next for the chop and who could be emerging as potential winners? Mike Norman explains all in his latest X Factor bulletin.

I wouldn't say it was exactly 'good riddance' to Daniel Evans on Saturday night, but it was certainly a case of 'thank God for that' when he was finally eliminated from this year's X Factor competition. Rumour has it that Duracell have now ditched that sponsorship I was talking about last week - instead the company that prides itself on lasting longer than its rivals has turned its attention to some dodgy old dancer by the name of John Sergeant.

Daniel's elimination means that just six acts remain, though from a betting point of view only four should be seriously considered as potential winners.

The Winner market has Diana Vickers as the [2.8] favourite, just ahead of Eoghan Quigg ([4.2]), Alexandra Burke ([4.9]) and JLS ([5.9]).

The two who can't win are Ruth Lorenzo ([44.0]) and Rachel Hylton ([85.0]).

Opinions are generally divided when Diana is the subject of conversation around the dinner table on a Sunday afternoon. My younger sister (who once made it to the final 80,000 of the X Factor so should know a thing or two) thinks that the barefooted Blackburn lass is a class act and will go on to win the whole thing.

My own view is, though I concede she is a decent singer and very unique, that Diana is a one-trick pony and her voice quickly becomes irritating. I'm not saying she won't win because quite clearly she is very popular and by far the most viewed performer on youtube.

I'm just saying that she isn't my preferred choice - but then again, I'm not the only one voting - it's people like my younger sister who are.

Diana put in her weakest performance of the competition on Saturday, but that was quickly put down to her recent bout of laryngitis. I'm not so sure. Should she really be a [1.65] favourite to outlast Alexandra Burke ([2.5]) in the Girls market?

Confirmation that Eoghan Quigg really does look like Chucky came in the rumour that he is being stalked by Drug-Fuelled Queen of London Nightlife, Amy Winehouse. Crikey, imagine those two as a couple.

Eoghan continues to get fantastic comments from the judges and is widely expected to be still around come the final show (he is just [1.72] in the Final Two market). My own view is that he doesn't have the X Factor. He is a weaker version of Ronan Keating and will suffer the same plight as Gareth Gates should he win - highly touted, stutter his way to a few hits (no pun intended) before disappearing from the face of the earth.

The act that suddenly seems to be gathering the most momentum is JLS. At first we all thought they were England's answer to Boyz II Men, but as the weeks have progressed this fabulous quartet of singers/entertainers have proved they can do almost anything. I'd love to see them doing an hour of The Four Tops and The Drifters style music, showing the younger generation (he says at just 35) what early soul/R&B music was all about. I think these boys will go a long way in the music industry, and certainly from a non-financial point of view (if there is such a thing) I hope they win X Factor.

Just a quick word of advice regarding Eoghan and JLS. If you do fancy them to win then please check out the Winning Manager market. For example, the only way Louis Walsh can win is if JLS win - Louis is available at [6.2] in his market, whilst JLS are [5.9] in the Winner market.

The only two acts that I haven't mentioned need to be looked at in the 7th Elimination market. Though I selected Ruth Lorenzo and Rachel Hylton as potential winners from the outset, I have to admit to being extremely lucky that they've reached this far. Rachel just isn't anywhere near as good as I thought she was going to be whilst Ruth is only average and will struggle to get the votes this week.

Rachel is favourite to go at [1.94] with Ruth at [3.3] but if the voting goes to form and these two acts are in the bottom two then I can see the judges saving Rachel once more. For this reason, a bet on Ruth in the 7th Elimination market is well worth considering.

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Caroline Norman | 20 November 2008

Hey bro, I got down to the last 10,000 actually not the last 80,000 cheeky bugger lol, and yes diana is the best and shes going to win. sore throat or no sore throat!!! x