X-Factor / Mike Norman / 23 November 2008 /

Mike Norman rounds up the latest happenings on the pop star factory that is The X Factor.

Sometimes we have good days, some times we have bad ones - Saturday November 22nd definitely went down as the latter for yours truly.

I should have known it was going to be a bad day when I mistook the girlfriend's hairspray as my own deodorant (same colour can you see) and spent the morning walking like I was carrying rolled up carpets under each arm. From then on my day got worse. My chance of becoming a millionaire came and went when my first Scoop 6 selection could only manage last place, the football team I support got thrashed at home to crappy Bolton, and the only person flashing their bits in the Australian jungle was a gay ex-copper!

My final chance of any solace came when the X Factor results show came on. The perfect scenario for me was for Ruth Lorenzo, Rachel Hylton, JLS and Alexandra Burke to safely make it through to the next round, and Eoghan Quigg and Diana Vickers having to go to the sing-off. 'Wishful' and 'thinking' are the two words that immediately spring to mind as it was Rachel and JLS that (justifiably on the night) polled the least number of votes.

I totally disagreed with the judges' views that JLS performed well and that their song, A Million Love Songs, was a great choice..... errr, no it wasn't. It was Take That night, a theme that should have suited a boy band like JLS. They should have sang an up-tempo number, performed with their usual swagger and lit the stage up with their smiles and enthusiasm. Instead they sang one of the most depressing ballads ever - a song that would have even then constantly laughing Timmy Mallet wanting to throw himself from the nearest bridge.

At least in the sing-off JLS proved how brilliant they can be (ironically singing a song that dates back to the 60s (Stand By Me) as I suggested last week that they will be so good at doing) and they survived the judges' vote at the expense of poor Rachel.

Few will be forgiven for thinking there was an earthquake on Saturday night, but in fact the shudder of earth that measured 6.2 on the Richter Scale was a direct result of fellow X Factor coloumnist Jack Houghton jumping up and down with delight at Rachel's demise. Having selected her as a potential winner initially it was sad to see her go, but full credit to Jack who recommended one of his biggest bets of the series on Rachel in the 7th Elimination market.

It all means that just five acts remain - and, quite frankly, I don't mind who wins now as long as it isn't that well-know womaniser Eoghan.

He is currently available to back at just [3.2] in the Winner market, behind favourite Diana ([2.74]) but ahead of Alexandra ([5.3]), JLS ([11.5]) and Ruth ([20.0]).

I've got nothing against Eoghan personally (apart from his hair and at just 16 he is being linked with a different girl every day) but I just don't think he is anything special - in other words, he doesn't have the X Factor. He is cute, likeable (a bit) and a good singer, but he isn't anything better than what is already out there and I maintain that if he wins he will have a short career as a top recording artist.

Referring to Eoghan's performance on Saturday, Simon Cowell said he lost it a bit in the middle - that wouldn't have been those high notes that he was practising so much would it Simon? He also made the song his own apparently... with the help of about 100 choir girls! I wonder, would Eoghan be getting such good comments if 1) he wasn't Simon's act, and 2) he wasn't from Ireland (Louis never knocks his fellow countrymen no matter how good or bad they are)?

I wouldn't mind JLS winning because I like them, Ruth because I put her up as a [25.0] selection in the first week (though I would now lay her off and get your money back or take a tiny profit) or Alexandra because she is carrying the main weight of my money. Diana is growing on me and I think she would be a worthy winner, and perhaps more importantly, an excellent winning selection from our betting expert Jack.

The 8th Elimination market has Ruth as the [2.06] favourite, just ahead of JLS ([2.96]). Alexandra ([6.0]), Eoghan ([13.5]) and Diana ([15.5]) are all expected to survive for at least another week.

I'm keeping my money firmly in my pocket this week - at about 11.30pm on Saturday I decided to spend £15 on the Ricky Hatton fight, only to fall asleep and miss the whole thing. I told you it was a bad day!

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