X Factor 2011: Big twist a big disappointment

X-Factor / Mike Norman / 10 October 2011 / 4

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Off you go! Will Nu Vibe be the next act eliminated?

"How can a twist that would mean either Amelia Lily, Sophie Habibis, Janet Devlin or Misha Bryan would be sent packing in the first week be correct?"

Mike Norman still doesn\'t feel comfortable that Amelia Lily has exited the show and blames X Factor producers for getting their \'big twist\' completely wrong.

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Ultimately this column is about betting; and from time-to-time, from a betting perspective, a spanner is thrown into the works - like double eliminations, a person automatically going through to the next week because of a throat infection, or eliminations being cancelled for example.

The X Factor producers have the right to do what they like, and whilst it\'s not always ideal when you\'re trying to win the kids Christmas present money, you just have to get on with it. But betting issues aside, last week\'s decision by X Factor producers to force each mentor to eliminate one of their own acts was completely unnecessary, and it overstepped the line, if there is such a line that is. Somehow I doubt there is.

It was billed as a big twist, except it wasn\'t a twist it was some grown men (or women), probably on half a million pound salaries and their careers all mapped out, messing with the hearts and minds of some vulnerable kids.

True, each and every person who auditions for the X Factor knows what is ahead of them to a certain extent and they still choose to try their luck at achieving stardom. But what they don\'t expect is to be taken half way round the world for a make or break audition, told they have made it to the live finals, and then told that actually they could be axed after one performance without the public having a say whatsoever.

That is exactly what happened last week. Each mentor had to eliminate one of their own acts meaning that girl band 2 Shoes, and solo singers Amelia Lily, Jonjo Kerr and James Michael have already had their dreams shattered.

I started this rant by saying betting issues aside but let\'s talk betting for one moment. As it turned out none of my selections were affected by this \'big twist\' and actually I\'m in a better position now than I was last week. But that doesn\'t make me happy. Singers like Lily shouldn\'t be out of this competition already, and anyone who backed her - the [4.3] favourite to win the contest at one point last week let me remind you - should feel hard done by. It just doesn\'t sit well with me.

I see nothing wrong with four acts - as a one-off - being eliminated in one week, but it should have been the public who voted with the four polling the least votes getting the boot, regardless of which category they are in.

If the X Factor is about allowing real talent to develop in front of our very eyes each weekend, and ultimately finding a recording artist who can sell millions of records, then how can a twist that would mean either Lily, Sophie Habibis, Janet Devlin or Misha Bryan would be sent packing in the first week be correct?

Apologies if you think this week\'s review is a bit too serious but I had to get that off my chest. Let\'s move on.

There were some great performances last week, especially from Devlin who I\'ve now added to my portfolio. This girl was absolutely amazing in her audition and she was the one I wanted to back in the Winner market from that moment onwards. But for some unexplainable reason I didn\'t. No real harm done though as she is still available to back at [4.0] and I believe that\'s very fair. Devlin has an incredible voice and I completely disagree with Jack Houghton who believes it will begin to grate after a few weeks. It won\'t, and she will make it to the final week easily.

Massive credit to Jack though for his wager on The Risk at [22.0]. My only reservation was that we\'d never seen them perform in their new guise but they were easily the most surprising - for the right reasons - act on Saturday night. I\'m not going to back them now at [7.0] but from this moment on they are going to be a real threat.

It wasn\'t such good news for the other boy band in the competition however, Nu Vibe being completely out of tune and looking completely out of their depth. They\'ll be gone in a few weeks no doubt but let\'s have a tiny wager that they\'ll be eliminated this week. I just hope we have no more \'big twists\' to come!

Recommended Bets

Back Janet Devlin @ [4.0] in Winner market (2pts)
Back Nu Vibe @ [4.0] in 5th Elimination market (1pt)

Already advised

Back Sophie Habibis @ [14.0] in Winner market (1pt)
Back Craig Colton @ [18.0] in Winner market (1pt)
Back Johnny Robinson @ [4.2] in Over 25s market (2pts)
Back Kelly Rowland @ [2.6] in Winning Mentor market (1pt)

Star Predictor

How has the market been affected by Amelia Lily\'s shock exit? For the latest odds on the winner market and next elimination check out our shiny new X Factor Star Predictor...

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glynn | 10 October 2011

Couldn't have put it better myself Mike, well said. Do you think there is enough public outrage for her to be brought back?
Mike | 10 October 2011

Thanks for your comment Glyn.

In a nutshell I don't think Amelia will be brought back for the simple fact that they can't really bring one act back and not the other three.

They would either have to bring all four back, or none of them back.

But who knows? The producers might have a few more tricks up their sleeves yet. After say eight acts are eliminated they could do a vote where the public have a chance to vote back-in a previous eliminated act. It's highly unlikely granted, but they seem to love messing about these producers rather than just stick to the tried and tested format of previous years.

Enjoy the show.
sandie | 10 October 2011

Not fair just putting a twist in for 'good TV'ie seeing the judges cry....the public have been deprived of seeing good talent and make their own minds up. Amelia Lily has more talent than any of Louis' acts and Two Shoe would simply have brought brilliant entertainment for their duration on show. The producers have got it wrong - rethinking whether to tune out.................
dave | 10 October 2011

Completely agree Mike. Just a thought - I think the reason for the 'big twist' was the relative strength of the four categories. Craig was great and The Risk very promising on Saturday but it is entirely possible that Kelly had the four best contestants all in her Girls category. A show that thinks it thrives on the rivalry between the judges would look pretty tame if the final four (or even four of the final five) were all under one mentor. I think the producers looked at that, looked at the likelihood of Louis' bunch of no hopers vanishing in their entirety by Week Five and decided that they had to do something to 'even up' the judges' chances. A really bad idea then, but I was pleased in the end that Sophie stayed in and Amelia went - it was the correct decision based on the performances on the night.