Stacey voted out in first round of X Factor Final

Stacey Soloman missed out on a place in tomorrow night's X Factor final two after Joe McElderry and Olly Murs were voted through with a chance of being crowned winner of the X Factor 2009.

Stacey, 20, who had the disadvantage of going first of the three acts gave three blistering performances and deserved a place in the final two. But sadly it wasn't too be as bookies favourite Joe and outsider Olly reached tomorrow's final two.

Stacey kicked off the night with a beautiful rendition of her audition song 'Wonderful World', followed by a scintillating duet with Canadian superstar Michael Buble. The pair performed 'Feeling Good', Stacey dazzling in a gorgeous Red dress in what turned out to be my favourite performance of the night. She then returned to the song that, in my opinion made her a real contender, 'Who Wants To Live Forever', earning a standing ovation and unanimous praise from all four judges.

Over-25 Olly Murs kick started his final with 'Superstition', the audition song that won the Essex boy a legion of fans at the auditions. Whilst Olly was in my opinion the weakest of the three finalists he improved dramatically on previous weeks to give a entertaining performance. But whilst Stacey shone in her duet Olly and Robbie Williams performance of 'Angels' was weak in comparison, unfortunately like two mates singing karaoke in a pub. For his third and final song of the night Olly sang 'Fool In Love', a safe but underwhelming performance from Simon Cowell's act.

Bookies favourite Joe McElderry, who sang last out of the three finalists in each round of songs, once again showcased the note-perfect voice that has earned him so much praise and a place in the final. 'Dance With My Father' was an emotion filled performance and the duet of 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me' with George Michael didn't disappoint. Joe finished the night with his favourite song of the series, 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word', a good choice that once again showed why the Geordie lad looks likely to win the X Factor crown tomorrow night.

It was a real shame to see Stacey leave the X Factor in third place tonight. But both Stacey and her mentor Dannii Minogue can be proud of how far she has come in the competition - I don't think this will be the last we will hear of the diva from Dagenham!

So Stacey is gone and we are left with Joe and Olly. Olly has done well to reach the final two and whilst Joe might not be my cup of tea, he has been the most consistent performer and out of the final two he deserves to win.

Picture from Now Magazine

Olly, Stacey and Joe make X Factor final

It all started in front of thousands and four judges. After weeks of auditions, tears at boot camp and nine weeks of live shows we have our X Factor finalists, Stacey Soloman, Joe McElderry and Olly Murs.

The final three were decided after it was announced that Danyl Johnson had received the lowest public vote tonight. Whilst Danyl was dignified in defeat I have failed to warm to the former teacher from Reading since his brilliant first audition.

On Saturday night the four remaining acts performed two songs in the semi-final, all hoping to secure a place in next week's final. First up was Olly Murs and whilst he performed well with Can You Feel It and We Can Work It Out (maybe a little too much dancing in the second performance), I was sure he was gone.

First up on the night and with his public support apparently taking a dive Olly looked as relieved as I was shocked when Dermot read his name out first. Whilst the boy from Essex has done well to reach the final he has plenty of ground too make up on rivals Joe and Stacey if he is going to claim the big prize. Outside bet for the final but who knows, I thought he was gone tonight!

Next up on Saturday was favourite Joe McElderry. Cheryl's last act has been running away with the competition in the last few weeks, receiving the usual high praise after two more perfect vocal performances with She's Out Of My Life and Open Arms.

I know I am going to sound like a broken record but Joe is just not for me and on Saturday I realised why - every week he sounds the same. Yes he can sing but does he wow me, no! I can't see him gracing the stages for years to come as a contemporary artist but there is no denying that the boy has one good voice. He should make the final two along with Stacey but from there it is too close to call.

Third on the stage was the last remaining girl Stacey Soloman, the diva from Dagenham! After calls for her to put in more of a performance and after reading the spoilers of song choices before the Saturday night show I was slightly nervous for Stacey. The Way You Make Me Feel just didn't seem to fit with Stacey on paper and unfortunately it was the same on stage.

After watching her first performance live I was blown away by how amazing she looked and I thought she pulled off a good performance. But after watching it a second time I realised many of the judges' critical comments were correct, her vocals suffered and it was a risky choice that didn't pay off for Stacey or Dannii. But, like all good performers Stacey came back and blew me (and my ear drums!) away with a powerful rendition of Somewhere, proving what she is good at and why she deserves her place in the final.

Last up on Saturday was Danyl Johnson, who gave two more belting performances. But whilst it may seem picky, the strange video montage and polar bears on the screens that seemed more suitable for Earth Song than it did Man In The Mirror were unnecessarily distracting and Danyl didn't win me over with his second performance of I have Nothing either.

Despite missing out on a place in the final Danyl has done well to claw back support after a barrage of criticism and bad press. Based on vocals he may not have been the right act to go on the night (that would have been Olly) but I will not miss him in the final.

So we have our final three - Olly, Stacey and Joe. Harshly I admit none of them are the new Leona with worldwide stardom beckoning but each deserve a place in the final. Olly entertains, Stacey engages with the audience and Joe has the voice.

It will be one of the tightest finals yet but I will go out on a limb and say Olly will struggle against fan favourites Joe and Stacey, both of whom I believe are in with the best chance of being crowned winner. It all may come down to the secret (or maybe not so?) special guest duets!

Picture from Daily Mail

Lloyd leaves X factor

Welsh teenager Lloyd Daniels became the 8th act to be voted off the X factor last night, narrowly missing out on a place in next week's semi-finals.

Lloyd, 16, received the lowest number of public votes after all five acts performed a Take That and Elton John classic on Saturday night.

After the departure of Jedward last Saturday the proper singing contest could finally heat up with only 2 weeks till the final.

First on stage Saturday was Danyl Johnson. The former teacher has had a roller coaster ride of drama on the show but he seems to have finally found his feet and some public support. Danyl performed classic Take That hit 'Relight My Fire' in round one and despite showing that he doesn't just do ballads, Danyl's over the top routine managed to distract me from his vocal performance. Yes the guy can perform his socks off but he doesn't have the likeability factor that makes him the winner in my eyes.

Round 2 and Simon Cowell's act sang 'Your Song', another performance powerful belting ballad that we have come to expect from Danyl but me and my family agreed that he seems to struggle when having to sing quietly. Simon Cowell may have labelled it 'sensational' but at points it sounded painful. Like previous contestant Jamie Archer Danyl hasn't, and might not ever, recreate the magic of his first audition.

Following Danyl on stage was the baby of the competition Lloyd. The teenage heartthrob has had a lot to contend with over the last few weeks; not everyone might respect what judge Louis Walsh said but poor little Lloyd has had to deal with Louis' criticisms live every week in front of millions. I'm not saying Louis was wrong, he was actually for once spot on. Lloyd has been out of his depth from about week four and this week was no different. He struggled vocally through first song 'Million Love Songs' and despite putting in more of a performance with second song 'I'm Still Standing' Lloyd still looked lost and awkward on stage.

Next up was last week's sing-off survivor Olly Murs. After the shock of being in the bottom two last week Olly must have have been worried. With his support obviously dropping Simon Cowell took a risk giving Olly one of his first ballads in the competition with 'Love Ain't Here Anymore'. Vocally Olly pulled it off vocally but judge Dannii Minogue was right when she said 'he had lacked that sparkle in his eyes' (although the very happy lady he was singing too at the start may have disagreed with Miss Minogue).

Round 2 and Olly was back to what he does best, an up-tempo number. 'Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)' saw Olly jump around on stage with skimpily dressed women, although the constant references to a boxing match got a bit much by the end.

Whilst Olly's support has seemed to stall slightly Joe McElderry has flourished under weeks of praise and standing ovations from four very jubilant judges. The Geordie lad sang 'Could It Be Magic' and 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word', pouring tons of emotion into his second performance and sounding vocally perfect in both. Every week Joe has delivered, clearly the most consistent contestant still in the competition however Cheryl Cole's act just doesn't hold my attention whilst on stage.

A nice lad and brilliant musical theatre star in the making, Joe is favourite to win but may struggle against the voting fanbases of rivals Stacey and Olly (despite claims that boss Simon Cowell his backing the lad to win). If Cowell and the British public are looking for a popstar with longevity and that special appeal that will sell millions of records for years to come I don't think Joe is the guy.

The final act to perform was last girl left standing Stacey Soloman. Dagenham girl Stacey performed tricky Take That hit 'Rule The World' and Elton John ballad 'Something About The Way You Looked Tonight'. Despite belting out both hits Stacey got a slightly mixed response from the judges, Simon Cowell even harshly comparing her to a wedding singer. But, despite my continued support of Stacey and her mentor Dannii, I did agree with some of what Simon Cowell said after he second song.

Stacey fully deserves her place in the competition but the appeal of Stacey, putting her engaging and funny personality aside, was the subtle tones to her voice. Week one Stacey blew me away with her rendition of Coldplay's 'The Scientist' and Dannii needs to make sure we don't loose the softness and innocence that is so appealing about Stacey's voice. And as for the argument for why she doesn't dance - Stacey has a style, it may not be as varied as others, but it is what she does best and I don't need to see her dance for me to pick up the phone and vote.

With Stacey, Joe and Danyl through we were left with Olly and Lloyd nervously standing on stage. There was almost an inevitability about Lloyd's departure, a nice lad who was out of his depth but who showed dignity in defeat (unlike the slightly of putting and over the top reaction of Olly who ran off stage in relief when his name was called, without even a word to Lloyd).

We are now left with our four semi-finalists and arguably the four best performers/singers throughout the competition. With only one week left to impress and book a place in the final I believe Stacey has the fanbase and Joe has the voice to get them through so it might be down to Olly and Danyl to fight it out, either way, if that is the case, Simon Cowell won't be happy - and that in itself is a reason to tune in next week!

Picture from Virgin Media

Natalie loses her sparkle as she exits Strictly

There were tears on the dance floor last night as Natalie Cassidy and her partner Vincent Simone left Strictly Come Dancing.

The actress and her Italian dance partner found themselves in the dance-off with one of the pre-show favourites Ricky Whittle. Both had performed new dance Rock 'n' Roll but both failed to impress the judges, Natalie was last on the leader board with 26 and Ricky struggled with his lowest ever score of 31.

After continually losing out to X Factor on the ratings bosses for the BBC1 show obviously felt the show needed more sparkle, so not only did the celebrities and their professional partners have to learn a new dance never before performed on Strictly, either a Charleston or a Rock 'n' Roll, they also had to compete in the first ever ballroom competition dance where all five couples took to the floor at once.

The night started with dark horses Chris and Ola wowing the judges and appreciative audience with a cheeky Charleston, a dance well deserving of the 34 score they received from the judges. The sports presenter may have danced under the radar so far but he and Ola are picking up public support and good judges scores at the right time and I wouldn't be surprised if they not only reach the final but also go on to pick up that mirror ball trophy.

As Chris and Ola flourished it was Ricky and Natalie who took one of the biggest dips in form on the night, receiving their first seven and lowest ever score. Mid-week events may have harmed their chances but Ricky and Natalie struggled to get into their stride during their Rock 'n' Roll and at points looked very unstable; their throws and lifts failing to win over the judges or the voting public.

Following Ricky was his closest rival Ali Bastian and her partner Brian Fortuna. The former Hollyoaks and The Bill actress battled through a ankle injury to perform a lively and fun Charleston, the pair once again leading the pack with an impressive 37 and again receiving a perfect 10 for their dance from Alesha.

Next up on the floor was Natalie and Vincent. The EastEnders actress as always entertained the crowd but her bubbly personality couldn't save her from a bashing from the judges for a clumsy routine, scoring only 26.

The final couple were last week's dance off survivors Laila and Anton. Both looked comfortable performing a cheeky Charleston, impressing everyone but judge Craig Revel Horwood who harshly only scored a 6 for what I thought was an enjoyable and well-performed routine. Luckily the other judges didn't agree and Laila went on to score 31.

After all five couples had performed individually they all took to the floor for Strictly's first ever competition dance. Each couple glided round the floor performing a beautiful Waltz. Ballroom queen Ali topped the score with a perfect 10, followed by Ricky with 9, Laila with 8 and Chris and Natalie both with 7. This new element was a success, adding a new dimension to what was a fading format.

Adding all the individual, group and public voting together it was Rock 'n' Roll dancers Ricky and Natalie who finished bottom. Whilst it was clear who was the better dancer overall Ricky cemented his place in next week's show with a flawless routine whilst Natalie stumbled through her own Rock 'n' Roll performance. Natalie and Vincent had a slim chance going into the dance off but no chance after it.

Picture from What's on TV

The 'Fro goes as Jedward survive again

Jamie Archer became the sixth act to be voted off the X Factor last Sunday after all the contestants performed Queen songs.

Archer lost out to Welsh teenager Lloyd Daniels in the sing-off and he is the first of Simon's over-25s to leave the competition. The final decision once again went to deadlock after the judges couldn't decide who to save and Archer lost out after receiving the lowest public vote. Although Jamie gave a better performance in the sing-off with 'The Show Must Go On' he failed to find his feet during the live shows and unfortunately never managed to top his first audition of 'Sex on Fire'.

On Saturday each act had to perform a classic Queen song and we got the mix of the wonderful with Stacey's powerful rendition of 'Who Wants To Live Forever', the surprising as Olly struggled vocally through 'Don't Stop Me Now' and the plain ridiculous as Jedward rapped through 'Under Pressure'.

Despite being out of time and tune on many occasions it was the twins best performance (within "Jedward land" as Simon Cowell put it, their performances can no longer be critiqued and compared to the other serious singing acts) and it saw them voted through to next week as the Jedward bandwagon continues to roll.

But it is not just the voting public who the boys have won over. Celebrities are also voicing their support for the duo, oddly demonstrated on Saturday by artist and DJ Calvin Harris who ran onstage during their performance with a pineapple on his head.

Whilst Jedward still bring fun (and moments of madness) to the show, the singing competition is getting serious as we near the final stages with only the final six of Stacey, Joe, Lloyd, Danyl, Olly and Jedward still standing.

Picture from Virgin Media

Chaos on dancefloor

It was a Strictly Come Dancing full of shocks last Saturday as Phil Tufnell and his partner Katya Virshilas were voted off.

The former Cricketer lost out with his American Smooth in the dance off to Ricky Groves and his partner Erin Boag. Phil Tufnell may have been the better dancer overall but a mistake-filled dance-off routine saw head judge Len save Ricky with his deciding vote.

But the main drama started even before the cameras started rolling. Host Bruce Forsyth was forced to watch the show from home with the flu, so It takes Two host Claudia Winkleman (and briefly comedian Ronnie Corbett) filled the void alongside Tess Daly.

But Bruce wasn't the only pre-show casualty as celeb dancer Jade Johnson and her professional partner Ian Waite were unable to dance after Johnson injured he knee in the rehearsal.

The arduous routines and weeks of training seem to be taking their toll on the celebs. Whilst long-jumper Jade sat out Laila Rouass took the floor with a heavily strapped ankle. The actress courageously tried to dance the Rumba but had to stop near the end as the pain became too much.

Rouass and her partner Anton Du Beke unsurprisingly finished last on the leader board with 22 points, whilst show favourites Ricky Whittle (with his partner Natalie Lowe) and Ali Bastian (with her partner Brian Fortuna) finished joint top with 35 points each.

With the celebrity dancers feeling the pressure the first question won't be who goes next Saturday but if all the celebs and their partners can even make it on the dance-floor and through a routine first.

Picture from Radio Times

EastEnders news updates

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas in Albert Square without a bit of Yuletide misery and this year the Mitchells once again take centre stage as the evil Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb) is found dead in the Queen Vic on Christmas day. Archie has made a fair few enemies in his short time in the Square so the list of suspects in bound to be long. It has been reported that the killer's identity will be revealed in the special live 25th anniversary episode in February so audiences will have a whodunit to work out into the New Year...

Another two characters set to depart the Square are Bradley Branning and Manda Best (Josie Lawrence). Actor Charlie Clements has decided to quit the BBC show after three years playing Bradley and the one question fans will be desperate to know is whether Bradley and Stacey ('Bracey') will reunite before he makes is dramatic exit from the Square around the time of the 25th anniversary episode. Josie Lawrence will leave the show in the spring after Manda discovers boyfriend Minty (Cliff Parisi) has a secret...

It is not only the cast making moves as Executive Producer Deiderick Santer is set to depart after the anniversary episode next year, to be replaced by ex-Hollyoaks boss Bryan Kirkwood. It has been reported Kirkwood wants to "sex-up" the soap so EE fans may be seeing an influx on fresh new faces as Kirkwood takes the reins of the BBC show...

Picture from BBC

Doctor Who - The Waters of Mars

Doctor Who made a triumphant return to our screens in superb special 'The Waters of Mars' last night, a poignant and eerie episode that saw the Doctor face more of his inner demons rather than scary aliens.

The 'Waters of Mars' began with The Doctor landing on Mars in 2059 to find the Bowie Base One Crew in a situation only he could foresee. In a series of flashes (unnecessary after the fourth or fifth one) it was revealed that every crew member died that day, leaving the Doctor in a terrifying predicament as to whether to walk away from the doomed crew or stay and help.

David Tennant captured The Doctor perfectly, the guilt and anguish of such a decision evident as he battled with his conscience and the laws of time. But after deciding that he would leave, the crew's death an event fixed in time, Doctor Who moved into what it does best.

The episode's main battle combined two elements of tried and tested Doctor Who magic; a crew and base under attack and an unknown threat, one only The Doctor could defeat. 'The Waters of Mars' cleverly used water as the simple yet deadly enemy, turning ordinary crew members into scaly wet messes as the water started to seep into the crevices.

David Tennant could single-handily carry an episode alone but he was supported by an excellent cast, especially Lindsay Duncan as the strong-willed Captain Adelaide Brooke. She was in no-way The Doctor's companion or follower, a feisty Captain determined to lead and eventually save her crew but at the same time intrigued, as most are, by The Doctor's presence.

Her tough persona comically bounced off Tennant's witty Doctor in the opening sequences. Duncan's further exchanges with Tennant were just as memorable; the desperation as she begged for the Doctor to do something after he informed her of her and the crew's demise was powerful yet heartbreaking.

As crew members started to fall to their watery foe The Doctor battled with his own predicament. Whilst walking away from the doomed base The Doctor listened to the cries of the stranded crew as one by one they perished, a sound so agonising that we saw The Doctor stroll back to save the day.

But in doing so we saw a different Doctor emerge, one almost bordering on egotistical as he became convinced that the laws of time were his in his bid to save what was left of the crew and re-right time. David Tennant's flamboyant brilliance helped portray The Doctor's sudden change in attitude as he defeated the water and managed to save Captain Brooke and two of her crew.

But The Doctor's heroics would come at a cost. Back on Earth the cocky Doctor revealed in his achievement but his mis-guided joy was soon cut-short by the suicide of Captain Brooke. We had watched Duncan portray Adelaide for only around 50 minutes by this point but you wanted The Doctor to succeed in saving her, even if it had sent the Time Lord slightly nutty in the process.

Duncan portrayed Adelaide's demise heartbreakingly perfectly, the horror and almost pity for The Doctor's power and position that soon turned to acceptance of what she had to do as she pulled the gun out and shut the door behind her.

This episode needed no over-sized enemy or epic battled because it was The Doctor himself who was the most chilling element in this episode. His collapse under his own wayward desire to control time and then sudden realisation and guilt as he heard Brooke's suicide shot took the audience and David Tennant on an emotional roller coaster as we saw sides of The Doctor that inevitably were there but had always been well hidden.

We may be missing out on a full series this year but with one-off specials of this quality Doctor Who fans can hardly complain. The writers even managed to throw in a mention of Ice Warriors and a chilling dalek-encounter for a young Brooke to please the avid Doctor Who fan base.

The Doctor's superb maniac turn may yet be a snippet of things to come as The Master is soon to make a return in the next special episode. If last night's episode is anything to go by the next will be more eagerly anticipated than its predecessor, the only downside being that with each episode we are moving closer to David Tennant's immanent departure.

Picture from Sci Fi Pulse

Cowell's U-turn to save Jedward

If there were any doubts left over the true intention of X Factor then Simon Cowell quashed them last Sunday. The X Factor is an entertainment show, a show driven by Simon himself and his wallet and the fact that Jedward are still in the competition is proof of that.

The X Factor weekend had started on Saturday night with Movie Week and however much it pains me to admit it Jedward's rendition of 'Ghostbusters' was the performance I was most looking forward to. The twins from Dublin may not have been blessed with amazing singing voices but they can entertain me within their 2 minutes on stage, a quality that many other acts lack. Unfortunately Jedward's qualities only stretch to one line so I will get back to Saturday night's action.

Stacey was first on stage with 'Son of a Preacher Man', a sexier style and better overall stage performance from the Dagenham girl managed to save her for another week despite Simon Cowell's negative comments. Following Stacey was Olly with 'Twist and Shout', another high tempo dancing performance from Simon's act but one quite similar to his previous weeks. Whilst Olly has found his comfort zone he may need to branch out occasionally, try a more current song to increase his ever-growing fanbase. Despite this I would say Olly (much to Simon's delight) will sail through to the final and the boy from Essex has a very good chance of walking away the winner.

Now Lloyd has had a difficult time of late, bottom two against Rachel the week before and a sore throat in the sing-off but the youngster was always going to struggle having to follow Olly. Lloyd attempted 'Stand by me' but his vocals aren't strong enough for the competition and for once I agree with Louis Walsh, poor Lloyd is out of his depth.

Next on stage was Jamie, an act I just haven't been impressed with during the live shows. His audition singing 'Sex on Fire' was terrific but Jamie seems to lack direction and has only managed to proof that he is a pub singer struggling in a competition were theme weeks just don't suit him (minus rock week obviously). This week Jamie sung 'Crying' and whilst I tried to concentrate on the performance all I could think about was that scene from Only Fools and Horses with Tony Angelino's unique take on the song. Sorry Jamie but you just don't do it for me, even when you manage to produce unintentional comedy in your performance.

Lucie followed Jamie on stage with her rendition of 'This is me', a song I had never heard of before that is apparently from teen favourite film Camp Rock. As always Lucie delivered on the vocals but the song choice would only appeal to the teen vote, a vote already spread between the likes of Lloyd and Jedward. It may have been a shock to see the Welsh singer in the bottom two based on her vocals but it was not surprising to see Lucie in danger based on her song choice.

The only other act to receive close to the amount of press coverage as Jedward is Danyl. Simon's act has jumped around from a confident and somewhat arrogant performer to a broken man after ending up in the bottom two, but now the singer seems to have found a happy medium (and a nice new hairdo to match!). Danyl's performance of Purple Rain was a vast improvement from the week before but for me it still lacked any real wow, or that special 'x' factor.

Next up was the performance, one so embarrassing to watch yet painfully amusing that you can't stop watching. Yes Jedward took to the stage in a car, surrounded by ghosts as they tried their best to sing along to 'Ghostbusters'. They managed to get through another full on routine but the novelty is starting to now wear thin and it seems like some viewers may be starting to agree as for the first time Jedward fell into the bottom two.

Last up was Cheryl's Geordie boy Joe with 'Circle of Life'. He may have a strong voice and been a consistent performer but, like Jamie, he just doesn't appeal to me. Every week Joe comes out and performs well and last Saturday was no different but, in my opinion Joe doesn't have the star quality to make him a successful popstar. Despite this I think Joe will be around in the competition for some time and just like Olly, he seems to be on course for a place in the final.

After all the performances it was down to the results show on Sunday. After the Black Eyed Peas and Leona Lewis showed the contestants what they are aiming for Dermot announced that Joe, Olly, Stacey, Lloyd and Jamie were through, leaving Jedward and Lucie in the bottom.


With the last two acts standing on the stage I was sure of the outcome, this was the chance the judges (except mentor Louis) had been waiting for to get rid of the twins. After two survival songs of differing class, Lucie belting out 'One Moment in Time' whilst Jedward jumped around to 'Rock DJ', predictably Louis saved his act Jedward whilst Dannii and Cheryl saved Lucie.

Once again it came down to Simon's vote and whilst I screamed at the TV for him to make the right choice Mr Cowell debated his decision. Despite his past protests that the X Factor was a singing competition he sent the decision to deadlock, stating that he felt neither act could win. And to little surprise it was Lucie who unfairly perished after receiving the lowest number of public votes.

Whilst Lucie came to terms with the news Jedward stood on stage, safe for another week thanks to supposed biggest critic Simon Cowell. Before I make my next point I would like to add that no I didn't vote for Lucie, I voted for Stacey. Yes the public, like myself, didn't pick up the phone for Lucie but we can't be expected to vote for every act except Jedward. The judge's decision is there to prevent such ludicrous decisions, there to save an act who undeservedly found themselves in the bottom two.

With Jedward moments away from exiting the competition Simon was close to losing X Factor's main talking points, viewing figures and stack loads of cash. So Simon, just like the week before, took it to deadlock and now we can be in no doubt over what X Factor's priorities really are. The show is and will be for the rest of the series an entertainment machine (well that is until Simon Cowell decides which of his acts and talented singers he wants to win, then it will be all about the singing again).

Picture of Jedward from Mirror Mobile
Picture of Lucie from Telegraph

Kelly's last dance in Blackpool

Under the chandeliers and glitterballs of the Blackpool Tower Ballroom the voting public finally lost faith with Craig Kelly and his partner Flavia Cacace on Strictly Come Dancing last night.

After getting the former Coronation Street to his home town of Blackpool, Kelly's Cha Cha Cha failed to impress the judges or the public as he lost out in the dance off to Ricky Groves and Erin Boag.

It was a setting worthy of great performances, a glittering 40 ready to grace the floor of this traditional ballroom. And it came as a slight surprise that it was not favourite Ricky Whittle and his partner Natalie Lowe but last week's dance off survivors Ali Bastain and Brian Fortuna that saw four 10 paddles appear from behind the judge's desks for the first time this series.

After her narrow dance-off escape last week Ali and Brian delivered a faultless Viennese Waltz, gliding around the large ballroom floor with a poise and ease that even lead Craig Revel-Horwood to grudgingly admit that he could find no fault.

Ali's main rival, Ricky Whittle, started off the show with a passionate Tango, earning a respectable but not-quite-as-good-as-last-week 35. Following Ricky and Natalie was the other Natalie, EastEnders actress Natalie Cassidy and her partner Vincent Simone who performed a lively Quickstep. She may not match her rivals in dancing technique (receiving a score of 31 on the night) but the sheer levels of energy, excitement and the smile she brings to the floor each week is deserving of a place in the competition.

Next up was Jade and her partner Ian doing the Jive, a possible recipe for disaster for the tall couple. Surprisingly the couple's height seemed not to harm their performance, a energetic series of kicks and flicks left them with 33 points.

After Ali and Brian's perfect performance Ricky and Erin had the hard task of following and actor's novelty seems to be wearing thin with the judges and the public. Ricky and Erin scored a weak 25 for their Salsa, he may come to entertain but whilst others excel Ricky's problems with his dancing technique are becoming more apparent.

Next up was Laila Rouass and Anton Du Beke with the Paso Doble, a Latin dance more suited to the actress than her poor previous efforts in the Jive and Samba. Laila gave a professional performance, keeping in character throughout but only received 30 from the judges - a score that undeservedly left her near the bottom of the leader board.

Another couple dangerously close to the bottom were Phil Tufnell and his partner Katya. They performed a reasonable Rumba, Phil's cheeky smile once again carrying him through a routine. With only 28 points, Phil's cheeky chappy personality guided him through to the next week but like Ricky Groves, his weaknesses are becoming more exposed as the competition heats up.

Following Phil and Katya onto the floor was Chris Hollins and Ola Jordan, a couple that have been slipping down the leader board since their week one performance. But the couple's Foxtrot re-ignited their Strictly chances, leaving them third with 34 points.

Whilst the night started on a high with Ricky and Natalie it finished, in terms of dancing ability, on a low as Craig and Flavia only scored 17, their worst tally to date that left them adrift at the bottom of the leader board.

After last week's shock dance-off it was the two worst dances, Ricky and Erin and Craig and Flavia who were rightly facing the axe after the public vote. After both couples performed again the judges unanimously saved Ricky and Erin, deservedly sending Craig and Flavia home after weeks of terrible attempts at dancing.

Next week Strictly returns to London and the television studios where each couple will dance for their future. We have now passed the half-way point and after the glitz and glamour of Blackpool the final stages of the competition are in sight.

Whilst there are a few couples struggling near the bottom, the ever-changing top of the leader board shows just how tight and exciting Strictly has become. We may witness a few more dance-off shocks in the coming week as the competition becomes too hard to call - Ali's dance-off drama to dazzling perfection is testament of that.

Picture from BBC

First shock exit of the series as Lucker loses out

With the prospect of dancing at the famous Blackpool Tower Ballroom on the horizon each couple took to the floor for their ticket up north but Footballers Wives actress Zoe Lucker and her partner James Jordan fell just short as they became the next couple to leave Strictly Come Dancing.

In the series' first shock dance-off pairing, which saw Zoe and James face high-scoring Ali and Brian it was Zoe and James who were voted off by the judge's panel.

Earlier that evening Ali and Brian scored an impressive 33 for their Paso Doble, a commendable mark especially as Ali was clearly suffering with a stubbed toe. Zoe and James received 32 for their Samba. Zoe was clearly not completely comfortable with the Latin moves but her and James have performed consistently throughout the seven weeks, their mark never dropping below 30.

Neither pair deserved to face the dance-off and judge's votes. Both struggled with either injuries, disappointment or nerves as they danced for their survival but the judges saved Ali, the right decision purely because whilst both couples are consistent it is Ali and Brian that can deliver that wow factor on the dance floor.

Elsewhere Ricky Whittle and his partner Natalie Lowe once again stole the show with a breathtaking Quickstep, scoring a series-high 39 from the judges. Whilst one Ricky soared at the top of the leader board it was the other Ricky, Ricky Groves and his partner Erin who were left at the bottom of the leader board with Craig Kelly and his partner Flavia Cacace after both scored just 24 points.

Ricky and Erin performed an uncomfortable Rumba whilst Craig and Flavia once again struggled as they performed a Waltz. But despite poor scores and harsh criticisms from the judges both couples will join Ali and Brian, Ricky and Natalie, Laila and Anton, Natalie and Vincent, Chris and Ola, Jade and Ian and Phil and Katya in Blackpool - where if possible, Strictly will be even more glitzy and glamorous than before!

Picture from The Mirror

One icon out and a old family return in Albert Square

The residents of Albert Square are set to be shaken not only by the departure of Queen Vic landlady and EastEnders legend Peggy Mitchell but also by the return of the famous Jackson family.

It was announced yesterday that Babara Windsor, who plays Matriarch Peggy has decided to leave the soap after 15 years so she can spend more time with her husband. Windsor, 72, will depart the soap next year but details of her exit are still unknown.

Whilst Peggy will say goodbye to the Square, the infamous Jackson clan are making a return to EastEnders early next year as part of the show's 25th Anniversary celebrations. Natalie Cassidy (Sonia Fowler), Dean Gaffney (Robbie Jackson), Lindsey Coulson (Carol Jackson) and Carol's youngest son Billie (casting yet to be announced) are heading back to reunite the Jackson clan.

Their return is bond to be explosive, especially as Carol's daughter Bianca (Patsy Palmer) and her brood are currently staying on the Square. Carol and Bianca were last seen in Walford together when Carol found out daughter Bianca was sleeping with her then boyfriend Dan Sullivan, leading to a classic Queen Vic battle.

Whilst fans will be deeply saddened to see EastEnders leading lady Babara Windsor depart, audiences can be rest assured that the drama, including that involving the returning Jackson's, will not cease on Albert Square for long.

Peggy picture from BBC

Carol picture from BBC

Jedward survive as Miss Frank crash out

They walked on the X Factor audition stage oozing of confidence, often crossing the line to arrogance with matching suits and crazy matching hairstyles and most importantly an obvious lack of singing ability.

Yet we are approaching week four of the live shows and months later twins John and Edward Grimes are still in the competition and more surprisingly they are the show's talking points with one insane yet entertaining performance after another.

Defying bookies and critics the twins sailed through to week five as talented girl band Miss Frank perished in the sing-off against show favourite Danyl Johnson. The three piece of Shar, Graziella and Shanice gave their best performance of the series on Saturday night with a unique rendition of 'That's Life' but it failed to impress the public.

Danyl sang big band favourite 'Feeling Good', another impressive performance from the singer but one that is getting a little too familiar (a good vocal leading up to that sharp intake of breath as he holds one note longer than it seems possible). Danyl clearly oozes confidence on-stage but his assured performance skills may be one of the factors putting voters off, not a good sign for Simon Cowell's major hope for the competition.

So it was down to Miss Frank and Danyl in the sing-off, two acts that didn't deserve their precarious position at the bottom of the pile. Miss Frank performed their survival song, 'Love Don't Live Here Anymore' first. Despite strong vocals it seemed like the band was almost resigned to defeat at times, the girls fluffing their lines briefly on one occasion.

But you could hardly blame them for this as they were against Danyl Johnson, a man hotly tipped to win the competition before last Saturday. The teacher performed 'With A Little Help From My Friends', the audition song that prompted Simon to say it was the best first audition he had ever seen.
The acts had the judges divided, Simon and Louis saved their own acts (Danyl and Miss Frank respectively) whilst Dannii and Cheryl looked unsure about which way to go. After a string of worried looks between the pair Dannii saved Danyl and Cheryl Miss Frank leading to deadlock. Miss Frank were sadly out after receiving the lowest public vote, a fact that hardly seems fair when acts like Lloyd and the twins are still in the competition.

Other performances on Saturday included Welsh teenager Lloyd, who once again struggled through a powerful song with weak vocals (not even a back flip could save him from Simon Cowell's criticism) and John and Edward's version of She Bangs. Entertaining and amusing it may have been but extremely annoying when talented and promising acts like Miss Frank leave the competition.

Llyod and the twins joined Lucie, Stacey, Rachel, Jamie, Danyl, Olly and Joe into the next week, where each of them will have to perform a rock song. Half the fun may be watching what John and Edward do on stage each week but 'Jedward' mania is fast carrying the twins towards the final at the cost of more talented acts.

John and Edward picture from Now

Miss Frank picture from The Mirror

Jo and Brendan axed after 'dance disaster'

Jo Wood and her partner Brendan Cole became the next couple to be voted off Strictly Come Dancing last Saturday.

Jo and Brendan received the lowest ever samba score on Saturday with a terrible mark of 14 from the judges, leaving her bottom of the leader board. Judges Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli called their performance 'a dance disaster' and 'samba hell'.

Not surprisingly Jo and Brendan found themselves in the dance off. They were joined, more surprisingly by athlete Jade Johnson and her partner Ian Waite, who scored an impressive 32 out of 40 for their samba earlier in the evening. Both couples danced again and as expected the judges choose to save Jade and Ian, meaning rock-chick Jo and feisty partner Brendan had to leave the competition.

Actress Ali Bastian and her partner Brian Fortuna received the highest mark of the night and the series so far of 37 for a beautifully performed American Smooth.

Off the dance floor Strictly Come Dancing once again lost out in the ratings war to ITV rival X Factor, for the sixth week in a row. X Factor averaged an impressive 10.9 million viewers whilst Strictly struggled with an average of 7.6 million.

The two shows will a avoid head-to-head clash next weekend because BBC bosses have moved Strictly to an earlier slot of 6.25pm so they can broadcast the annual Festival of Remembrance.

Picture from TV.com

Darren is the daddy!

It has been the question lingering over Albert Square for months, who was the mystery man that wooed Heather Trott (played by Cheryl Fergison) in the R&R toilets with a yogurt pot lid?

Well on Friday night's EastEnders we found out the answer as young Darren Miller appeared behind the door of Hev's hospital room. The sheer look of shock and horror that drew across Darren's face when he saw mother and child mirrored my reaction near perfectly.

The race for paternity had been up in the air for months; Phil, Minty, Billy and Darren were the suspects but unlike many other soap plots the reveal had been kept secret. Ex-hubby Minty, hard man Phil and lonely Billy seemed probable but 18-year-old Darren was the controversial choice, the choice I recoiled at in discomfort.

Although the character (played by the capable Charlie G Hawkins) is a budding young businessman in the soap he hardly looks old enough to father a child, the age gap between mother and father a lengthy 24 years.

Despite this Darren as the father is sure to create tension and great TV drama; the young father now having to contend with Heather, feisty best mate Shirley, being a dad to young George and not to mention new fiancee Libby and her family.

Picture from BBC EastEnders

Enders on the web

EastEnders will broadcast a new 13-episode series called EastEnders: E20, but audiences will only be able to watch the new spin-off online.

The series, which starts in January 2010 will focus on four sixth form students "experiencing the highs and lows of teenage life". But the BBC has promised that some familiar faces will make cameo appearances as the main show and online series cross paths.

E20 is part of the build-up to EastEnders 25th anniversary celebrations in February. With a live episode also planned to mark the event it seems EastEnders will be exciting onscreen and now for the first time online as well.

Picture from The Mirror

Rikki gets the chop but Cheryl soliders on

After waiting 24 nervous hours the contestants had the 'face the music', their big night as they found out which one of them gets thrown back into obscurity, yet it was the guest stars that arguably stole the show in tonight's X Factor.

First up was Cheryl Cole performing (we were told live?!) her debut single Fight For This Love. We are know her vocals aren't great and arguably if she was performing as a contestant then she would have faced criticism but as it goes Cheryl went from judge to performer well, Mr Cowell himself called it 'incredible'.

There were shaky moments but they were covered up by her daring military style outfit, the band of dancers behind her and Mrs Cole's own moves. A entertaining and well executed first shot at going solo.

Next up was Whitney, returning to the UK after her well-documented troubles. She is far from the Whitney I remember belting out the notes with that quivering lip but the song Million Dollar Bill is catchy and the ultimate Diva showed she can still perform and entertain a crowd (even when her dress broke half way through the song Whitney soldiered on!).

Back to the contestants, what this results show is really all about. Last night we saw an array of talent, from the down right ridiculous tight red leather suits worn by John and Edward for their amusing rendition of Britney's Oops I did it again to Stacey, Danyl and Joe - who each gave a strong vocal performance on Diva week.

But whilst some shone, some were dangling perilously above the drop zone; namely Rikki Loney, Rachel Adedeji and Miss Frank. Fortunately the latter was saved but it was predictably between Rikki and Rachel in the sing-off. After two emotion filled performances Dannii and Cheryl saved their own acts (Rachel for Dannii and Rikki for Cheryl) so it was down to the boss. Simon rightly sent home Rikki - a respectable singer who struggled against a much stronger field of competitors.

Picture from London Evening Standard

Ricky waltzes to top marks as Joe gets the KO

Five weeks in, five weeks of gyrating hips, nervous celebrities and many mis-placed steps - and we have our first ten on Strictly Come Dancing!

Competition favourite Ricky Whittle and his partner Natalie Lowe (above) waltzed their way into Alesha's heart as she gleefully thrust the number ten paddle into the air. There is no doubting that it was a enjoyable and well performed Viennese Waltz but a ten at such an early of the competition was a hasty judgement of a good, but not perfect dance.

Whilst Ricky and Natalie danced their way to the top of the leader board, boxer Joe Calzaghe and his partner Kristina Rihanoff (above) that unfortunately were left jiving uncomfortably at the bottom.

For the first time this series they weren't actually bottom after the judge's marks (that honour fell to Flavia and Craig - whose Jive reminded me of the stereotypical embarrassing dad at the wedding) but the British public finally ran out of sympathy for Joe's awkward dancing as they lost out in the dance off to Zoe Lucker and her partner James Jordan .

Elsewhere last week's leaders Laila and Anton plummeted to the bottom half of the leader board with a terrible Jive, Ali and Brian slipped further from the top with a clumsy Jive routine and Jade and Ian finally showed their potential by gaining 35 points for a beautiful Waltz.

Picture 1 from Mirror
Picture 2 from BBC

Lacey shines on screen

The Queen Vic or the Laundrette, The Rovers or The Kabin; these places have never exactly been the hotbed for Britain's best acting. Yes Soaps might be entertaining, heartbreaking and dramatic but outstanding action on a regular basis isn't a given when you sit down with a cup of tea to watch your favourite soaps.

So that is why, after watching EastEnders last week, I am giving special praise to Lacey Turner who plays the troubled Stacey Slater in EastEnders. Lacey joined 2004 as a new addition to the Slater clan but now, 5 years on she has matured into one of soap's favourite characters and a terrific actress.

During last week's EastEnders we saw Stacey lose control as she battles bipolar. The episodes built up to a dramatic and heartbreaking conclusion as Stacey threatened a crowded pub with a broken glass before her desperate mum Jean called Doctor Al, who got Stacey sectioned.

Since her arrival Lacey has been involved in some of EastEnders most dramatic scenes as she dealt with Jean's bipolar and the reveal of her and Max's affair at Christmas. Lacey has the ability to draw an audience in and captivate them with her emotional portrayal of Stacey, a character and an actress that we have seen grow, mature and develop over the years.

Picture from The Mirror

Reality weekend round-up

For the first time this year both X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing broadcast live as two more contestants got voted off the shows.

The X Factor's final 12 performed live for the first time on Saturday evening and the first show didn't disappoint with it's usual tears, drama, controversy, star performances and obligatory judge's fighting.

The standard of the performances on the first week this year was notably better than last year, with each performance (even the twins, John and Edward) entertaining the audience and most showing their strong vocal abilities (namely Danyl, Stacey and Lucie).

It took no longer than a week and around 20 minutes for the judges to start bickering between themselves. Cheryl and Dannii took an instant dislike to the attire of Kandy Rain (above), whilst Simon (much to Cheryl's dislike) strongly disagreed. Simon then added more fuel to the fire when he called two of Miss Frank's members bookends, before politely admitting he didn't know their name.

But it was judge Dannii Minogue who took the headlines at the end of the show when she made a unnecessary comment about Danyl's sexuality after the singer performed. You would have thought that TV personalities would avoid creating a stir by making controversial comments after the Strictly row involving dancer Anton Du Beke but it seems reality TV can't keep out of the headlines for the right and wrong reasons. Like Du Beke there were calls for Dannii to be sacked but ITV have decided to stand by the Australian judge after she apologised on air.

Back to the singing (which the program and my post was supposed to be about!), and the two acts with the least votes, Kandy Rain and Rachel faced the judge's votes on Sunday night. Expectantly Dannii and Cheryl voted to send home Kandy Rain, whilst Simon sent home Rachel (Rachel received another vote to leave from the absent Louis). Kandy Rain left the competition after the subsequent deadlock as they received the fewest public votes.

The end result was no surprise but going by the standard of the first week's performances this year's competition may be closer than I first thought.

The celebrities and their professional dance partners lined up for another week on the dance floor as Strictly Come Dancing continued on Saturday night.

Lynda Bellingham (and her partner Darren Bennett) became the next unfortunate celebrity to leave the competition after her low-scoring Foxtrot left her in the dance-off with Craig Kelly and his partner Flavia Cacache, who performed a uninspiring Salsa.

Whilst surprisingly favourites Ali Bastian (and her partner Brian Fortuna) and Ricky Whittle (and his partner Natalie Lowe) faltered slightly it was the ex-Footballer's Wives stars Lalia Rouass (and her partner Anton Du Beke) and Zoe Lucker (and her partner James Jordan) who shone on the night.

Lalia and Anton but the troubles of the past week behind them to produce a gorgeous Foxtrot whilst Zoe and James produced another composed and stylish routine in the same dance.

It may be only the fourth week, but like X factor, Strictly will be a close competition and one of a high standard as many of the dancers and their partners continue to improve to impress the public.

X Factor picture from Digital Spy

Strictly Come Dancing picture from The Mirror

Du Beke drops Strictly in hot water

Strictly Come Dancing has been plunged into controversy this week over an alleged racism row involving pro-dancer Anton Du Beke and his celebrity partner Laila Rouass.

Du Beke, a regular fixture on the show after appearing in all six series, allegedly used a racial slur towards Rouass after she received a spray tan. Even though the reported incident happened weeks ago in training it only hit the headlines following last week's show.

Du Beke later apologised and said he was 'mortified' after making the remark. Despite Rouass publicly accepting Du Beke's apology there have still been calls for the dancer to be sacked after the BBC received complaints about his behaviour.

Current Strictly host Bruce Forsyth backed Du Beke, calling for the public to have a 'sense of humour' but he later stated that the pro dancer's behaviour was 'wrong' and that he does not 'excuse or condone the use of such language'. Despite publicly backtracking on his comments Forsyth himself was criticised for backing Du Beke and trying to defuse the situation.

Although the BBC are sticking by Du Beke for now it remains to be seen how far he and his partner Rouass will last in the show or whether Du Beke will be back to dance in next year's competition.

Picture from Daily Express