I’m reluctant to rush to judgements before tonight’s live show, having pondered a Ryan / Emily bottom two in week 7, and a difficult week 8 for Saara. Whatever producers reasons for not following either path, it’s worth bearing in mind that they seem happy with how the competition is progressing. There’s been no Maloney-style takedown or Faustini-esque doughnut deramp.
Song choices this week seems to be keeping the four remaining acts to their respective paths. Let’s start with the much-discussed Saara, easily the most popular competitor in our comments section. It seems likely that she’ll get a big production for ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ followed by a chance to shine vocally by reprising audition number, ‘Chandelier’.
Fleur East covered the former at the same stage in 2014, opening the show with a workmanlike performance before her memorable ‘Uptown Funk’. Meanwhile, the biggest danger with ‘Chandelier’ is the potential for producers to create an end-of-journey feel by returning full circle to her first song. But this is a great song, and Nicole was particularly bowled over by her excellent rendition. It was also seen in 2014 when covered by Andrea Faustini, another entertaining foreigner with a great set of pipes.
Saara remains the closest challenger to Matt Terry in the outright market. Matt’s price drifted further over the last 24 hours despite getting ‘Silent Night’, the holy grail of Christmas songs, given to previous winners Little Mix and Alexandra Burke. That may have partly reflected a more surprising choice for his second song, Jessie Ware’s ‘Say You Love Me’, only performed once before on the show, by Lauren Murray in last year’s 6CC. It won’t be known to the vast majority of the audience. The song promises to suit him however, and his supporters will be hoping that he finally gets the pimp slot.
Emily Middlemas hasn’t been in the bottom two yet, but is second favourite for elimination this weekend. Mentor Simon Cowell is answering her critics who have complained that she does too many slow numbers by giving her the exceptionally slow Donnie Darko version of ‘Mad World’. It was done to some acclaim by Aiden Grimshaw in 2010’s first live show. Let’s hope there’s not a dance beat added halfway through as in Jay James’s horrid 2014 cover. Emily’s Christmas song is John Lennon’s ‘War Is Over’. I’m envisaging a choir of children clad in white as I type this.
Five After Midnight are attempting to bounce out of their first bottom two appearance last week. Their Christmas number is East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’, done at the same stage by Lauren Platt in 2014 before she was eliminated. Their other song is Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)’. Nicole referenced Stevie Wonder for the trio’s highly praised pimp slot version of ‘Say You’ll Be There’ in week 5. Given their vocal frailties, it doesn’t feel like a promising selection of songs for the boyband.
Since the voting stats were published since 2008, only Luke Friend in 2013 has managed to escape elimination having polled lowest of the remaining contestants in the quarter-final. That doesn’t bode well for 5 After Midnight.
It’s also worth mentioning that for the past five years, the final four acts have consisted of two who have already been in a singoff, and two who haven’t. It’s only in James Arthur’s year that the final 1-2 hasn’t been from the latter two.
Precedent thus suggests that Saara and the boyband are more likely to be fighting for third at best, possibly after going head-to-head in Sunday’s singoff. But Saara has already confounded precedent with her unusual path to the semi-final. Such trends may well be smashed this year as they were in 2012.
We must also await confirmation during the Saturday show that there will be a singoff this weekend. It was only introduced at this stage in 2010. Add to all these uncertainties an eye-opening Daily Star article this morning, and there are many more questions than answers before the Saturday show.
Keep your thoughts coming below.
Photos via ©ITV
Nicole and Sharon’s reactions to Chandelier are going to be extremely interesting this week.
The former was blown away by Saara’s audition and watching Saara’s live show performances back she seems the most animated by some way and also really enjoying/whipping up the audience for Saara’s performances.
Sharon of course wasn’t there when Saara auditioned.
Normally Cowell is key but these two I think are going to be pivotal this week.
That article you linked to at the end is one of the strangest things I’ve seen this year. Just what is the point of it?! No contestants are named, barely even implied. Rotten programme!
I’m looking forward to the show tonight. Ideal circumstance for me is no sing off and 5AM going. I don’t anticipate that happening though – I expect the sing off will remain as it has done for the last five years, and I expect Saara in it alongside 5AM.
Thank you for bringing back memories of Jay James doing Mad World, too. I’d forgotten about that. Horrid indeed!
It’s a nasty article but I don’t think being gay or bi is a big deal anymore, certainly not if you’re in the entertainment business. In or out doesn’t matter either, as long as you’re not being a hypocrite about it. Most people think “so what” or “we already knew”.
Meh.
I don’t think it strange because of the tone of it – it’s in the Daily Mail, I’d expect nothing less. More so because of the severe lack of content compared to the amount of snark on show. Usually with articles like this, it’s blatantly obviously who is being referred to even if they aren’t named but unless I’m being dim, I don’t see it?
It’s in the Daily Star. If you don’t get who it’s about, then that suggests it’s not that significant.
Subliminal message in the Christmas tree baubles above,
Saara GREEN.
Five after midnight RED.
Hehe. We really do analyse this to the high heavens.
Pre show Saara has now fallen below 2’s (37/20) with one bookie and is now pretty much 2’s/ 9/4 across the board. Matt lengthening and best priced 4/6.
Now a good time to get on Matt, or are we going to see a further tightening in the market during/after the show?
On the week people thought the singoff would be Ryan/Emily Emily drifted a lot before the show, possibly a sign of people in the know of the running order.
Does running order matter as much when there’s only 4, they all sing twice, and lines open from the start?
I’m guess round 1 will go Saara, Emily, Matt, 5AM, then switch it up to Emily, Saara/5AM, Matt.
Saara has the only up tempo so has to open surely.
I been unable to give as much attention to this years series and Sofabet due to family needs and business commitments but Sofabet so so good for catch up when ahve time.
I notice on last article LJ last year mentioned, LJ was a shoe in from the word go last year.
Logic and data (which is becoming more valuable every day, especially to Sony Corp!) Nice to have seen so much data shared on Sofabet over the years, long before it was mainstream online jargon.. Well done to those who pioneered use on here..
Hard to see a final without the two who have not been in the bottom two unless they choose to throw both of them under the bus and throw them well under it. Has anyone considered that in their calculations?
it is clearly a night to watch the show and Chandelier could be big or a disaster. As one sitting on a samll to medium big price ticket on The best singer on the show and a well positioned book looking forward to tonight. Will our Litte Mix record of 20/1 be broken.. be great if was.
Last weekend at Fountain also before move to Acton for 2017.
Where will Honey G votes go?
I think 5AM most likely to go for reasons that most Sofabet regulars would know.
XFactor will most likely not have Xmas no.1 this year either.. might manage it week one but that far from guaranteed either.
Good luck to all tonight
Saara must have topped the vote last week.
When the hell did 5AM top the vote??? First week ?
That week the app didn’t work
I’d imagine Motown week or Disco week. Those were their biggest pimping with best song choices.
Week 5 or 6 I’d say
Judging by the staging and arrangement for their second song tonight, I’d take a guess at Say You’ll Be There.
Sing off tomorrow just confirmed by Dermot.
Matt on first again. Could quite easily be book ending the show like Louisa did last year though.
My flatmate hasn’t watched the show this year. Switched it on, he sees Matt first and says “Oh he looks boring enough to win.” Bang on the money!
If all 4 acts have topped the vote, then that means everybody has beat everybody at some point and surely no act is safe from the bottom 2 – including Matt.
1st song target Matt. Is this a set up for the 2nd or a pure on deramp
I am sensing quite the dampener there so far…
I mean, with the right golden lighting and a 4 judge SO that could have easily closed the show and been hailed as a ‘moment’. Instead it was very cold with all the ice blue and got luke warm comments. What’s going on here???
They started de-ramping him when they gave him a SIA song the other week. Also notice the “Icelandic Northern lights backdrop” for the intro. If you haven’t been there, you wouldn’t know that Iceland is all volcanoes and mountains, and Finland is all flat forest and water. I’ve seen the Northern lights in both countries though. Poetic licence. Subliminal support for Saara?
I can see two possible reasons for the seemingly Matt deramp this week with his poor choices of running order:
He may be so far ahead, that the show wants to put him down a bit to make the show more exciting and competitive, which I believe may have been a reason he hasn’t been given a pimp slot yet or..
This may truly be a deramp leading up to a potential Saara win. Which surprisingly seems really possible at this point, with Saara now being favorite to win at 11/10. I also found it really interesting that they chose this week as the dreaded Finnish embassy VT week. They put it along with two huge performances, which I’m assuming will lessen the burden of that VT.
They played the embassy VT quite well IMO. Tying it in with Santa / Lapland was the best way they could have done it with her.
Could Matt really be running away with it if we know that all acts have topped the votes at some stage? I don’t think it’s a wild assumption that Saara topped the votes last week given her polling in earlier weeks.
Can anyone remember which week Andrea had his embassy visit? I’d love to see it and compare it with Saara’s. My recollection is that his was more of a deramp.
It’s here.
https://youtu.be/yEQ9M2qDt5E?list=PLNSQAXqHDeYIYaDxe8afkEeBdmK5Bw679
That was dull and his voice thin and emotionless.
Setting up for a big pimping in round 2 I think. Probably bookend the show.
Also having 5AM/Emily squeezed and memoryholed by Matt’s and Saara either side seems to further suggest those are there final 2, or, perhaps, that they are wanting Saara now but she needs a bit of extra help (or Emily needs extra work to dampen)
Stars, gospel choir, praise, finalist mention, asking for votes – and people are seeing dampener for Matt??? What did I miss???
A deadly mix of criticism, but assurance he’ll definitely be in the final. Double whammy of demotivation with the comments.
Apart from the bit where they asked for votes!??
Mixed bag for Matt IMO. Competent yet slightly boring performance. Star subliminals. A call to vote from Sharon, although phrased as a slight afterthought. Dampener o’clock from Simon, although the predictable comment could be countered with his song choice in round two being relatively unknown. You could find positives or negatives there – it depends what you want to see.
Do we think Matt was told to stress just how much he was singing from the heart and that he needed to be in the final?!
Saara is opening with White Christmas and then going into Mariah based on Spotify
please can we get thru the first 3 acts of fodder and bring out the star of the show……. ?
This bloody car park.
If it’s close they could be trying to get Matt down to 3rd – “all finalists have been in the bottom two” etc, that would require getting Emily there too though.
brian harvey for stage invasion!
saara and Matt practically neck and neck in the outrights with some bookies now…
steak house !
5AM have become a lead with two backing singers. Bit of a shame since from my point of view because the darker guy with the ‘fro has the nicest voice imo.
And HEHMAX at Steakhouse.
5AM’s vocals exposed for the umpteenth week in a row.
emilys gone
Steak house quietend the crowd but surprised with Simon ramping.
Targeting Matt right now it seems with Simon comment
Way to reduce a competent performance to ridicule Nicole!
Feeling hungry. How about an ice cream sundae with cherry, tomato, and oranges? That was a bizarre comparison from Simon, made me think of Andrea’s doughnuts again.
Nicole just did the doughnut deramp part II.
Steak house, Steak house. Delicious!!!!
This was a bit pathetic in the ridiculous overpraise once again, I have a feeling they will be dragged to the final come hell or high water. Would not have expected that it could be at the expense of Matt of all people.
Oh and Simon: nobody has sung Emily’s song on the show yet? You used this as the finalists’ charity guff one year, already forgotten???
On Pop Idol
zzzzzzzzzz
ive died and gone to ikea
Saara now favourite on odds checker
Apart from Bratavio, that was probably the worst performance of the entire series. :/ Did not like that one little bit.
Nailed that one, it came across well..,
I preferred the backing vocals more than Emily there
Goodness me that was an excruciating performance. Are they trying to drag down both Matt and Emily and have a final where everybody has been in the sing off?!
That’s what I thought earlier, with the bizarre ramping of 5AM it certainly seems like it so far.
Agree. What with the constant reminders about how close the voting is, how everyone has been top, they must have decided that they need a final where everyone has been in the B2 to ramp up the suspense. As everyone keeps saying, the franchise comes first, and last year must have done some damage, seeing as it was sewn up for Louise to win from the first audition.
By extension, that would also mean that they either are super confident they can steer the vote during the final, or they really don’t care who wins this out of Saara, 5AM and Matt. Emily is a goner, I think…
Scotland well and truly motivated.
^^ scotland dont care for this rubbish
even her speaking voice is grim
All I Want For Christmas Is You is going to seem lively after the dirge isn’t it?
Emily is toast after that. 5AM sounded the best they’ve ever sounded (yes I know they had help!)
Honestly felt sorry for Emily there. Completely drowned out by the backing vocals, the song AGAIN seemed out of her range, but to be honest I just think her voice has not recovered from the illness she picked up a few weeks ago. The regional vote is going to be seriously tested yet again.
I think praise of the song is becoming a real deramp technique this year as well. Talking about how great the song is (as they all did there) is telling the audience “If you at all enjoyed that performance, it was sure as hell nothing to do with Emily but rather the song”
wiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnner
embassy paaaartaaay!!!!
AAAH THE EMBASSY! SUBTITLES!
At least she’s Saara again this week. I wonder where Zara has got to?
Finnish Embassy. are all acts being de ramped?
Don’t talk nonsense. They spoke in English, no foreign food, no national clothes, everything recogniseable and identifiable, they even brought in Father effing Christmas ffs.
No deramp there at all. All positive. Best embassy visit I’ve ever seen.
Excellent work from the Finns, speaking in English.
Love it.
Well done to all. I think I should like to come and see the Northern Lights next spring if they are visible from your part of the world.
Not in Spring proper. Mid winter is the best time.
BTW are they taking the mickey with the sofabet embassy thing? I thought that wasn’t a real de-ramp, what with Father Christmas turning up and all.
The Finns aren’t stupid and of course their ambassador can speak flawless English. It may also be that the producers edited it or that the Finns are smart enough to keep the fermented herring behind closed doors (mind you, for all I know that’s the equivalent of jellied eels or something and no-one really eats it anyway).
A small detail: fermented herring is a staple of Swedish traditional cuisine. It is not known in Finland at all.
Anyway highly recommend you visit both Finland and Sweden. 🙂 Northern lights can be seen when it is dark enough and not cloudy, so midsummer is definitely out of question, but winter is perfect.
Thanks. I was pulling that one out of the air. I meant it more as an indication of something alien to the British voter. They didn’t have anything like that.
And apols to any Finns if you got upset. But don’t take it personally. I upset a lot of people. Sometimes I even do it by accident.
I was thinking February. I’ll have a look for the best time and deals if Saara and Sam come through.
Reverb well off on low on Saara mike channel…
Sound has been well off in the first songs
Totally, choir too high for Emily, 5AM all one vocal, Matt delayed, too dry.. Crazy stuff…
4 judge SO for that?!
I haven’t liked any of the xmas round. That wasn’t good from Saara.
xxxxxxxxxx fun / spirit / journey !
YUKI Louis LOL.
rocky theme tune for saara
Simon teasing us re Chandelier?
Saara goes a strong favourite after Chandelier, it’s TWTIA Part 2 from listening on Spotify. But from one of the last two slots.
Drab firsr round. Hopefully a better 2nd round.
Based on first songs I feel Emily is the target for elimination and they are ensuring Matt not winning this
Lets see on 2nd round
Round 1 scoring (not based on quality but the amount they were pimped)
Saara
5AM
Matt
Emily
As much as I like Saara, she has had some assistance with those last notes, audible as the sound was out of synch.
However, this has made the intention quite clear, especially as the running order for the second bit seems to be Emily, Matt, 5AM, Saara. Matt+Emily are meant to go B2, and I assume Emily will be dropped. That means “level playing filed” for the final (LOL, no, as if…), and Simon can do his ‘only impartial judge’ spiel.
Probably briefly but…
Saara is the favourite to win!!!!!
Even Emily thinks Creep was the best.
End of journey VT from Emily.
Louis learning to talk Finnish should end the topic of who is the chosen one.
Loving the subtitles for the Scots tonight nevermind the Finns
betfair saara 2.22 twatte – 2,24
I would love it if she broke out into some random contemporary dance steps, screaming “See ? See ? Enough moving for you ???” at Louis…
see ya emma
Cage of Light alert for Emily. Another dour song too though they’re making it out to be her choice.
Louis’ surely going to attack it again and not unfairly… and yet he didn’t, instead going with a bored ‘surely that’s enough to get you through to next week’.
Emily has somehow managed to make this even more dreary than expected
Shoukd get you through to next week
Yeah Emily is going
it was crap
goodbye rant from amma
I think Saara is genuinely going to be on a chandelier based on Simon’s comments.
Also, that was the biggest attempt at false praise I’ve seen in a long time from those judges comments.
They couldn’t have sounded more bored if they tried. They made Gary Barlow look the live and soul of the party during that critique.
Brilliant LOL.
Bit of a eulogy for Emily by Simon just then. Was all a bit sombre, not very motivational.
Simon with a call out for votes there, but it was pretty weak, and I didn’t notice any specific mention of Scotland. Praise was very very non-motivational, and it all felt end of journey. Emily rightly favourite to leave.
Edit: Oh, and don’t forget, immediately memory-holed by Matt.
Matt memory holed himself tbh
I rather liked that performance from Emily, but I can’t see it getting the votes.
For the conspiracy people, it’s red and black.
In other news Saara is going to be swinging from a chandelier.
Serious good song choice here, fresh, big production.. bit of a moment for sure…
VOTE PLEADING FOR MATT
What was that weird break in the middle? I quite liked the song and he sang well in parts but seemed strained at points and the break was horrid. I agree with Simon. He’s not right and not singing as well as he was in previous weeks. Honest criticism.
Really strong performance for Matt as far as I’m concerned. Simon trying to put the brakes on though. Will it motivate sympathy? Confusing night.
At least Simon has given some motivation for Matt fans to vote.
Emily fans have none
Simon completely right there. Very bland.
desparate pleas for votes —– c ya !!
Jessica – go spend your winnings. Saara wins this show. Who would have thought that a few weeks ago. Congrats on getting 80s.
Thanks Danny, but I’m going to wait until the money is in my hand. The Gods of Hubris have put their magic thistle in my knickers too many times for me to take this for granted.
5am pimpslot
They want them in the final then. Jump over Matt and Emily?
I think Simon’s criticisms of Matt are going to come across as harsh, but fair – the usual deramp technique. They certainly did to me. I sense the show is trying for a Saara win, though they’re also preparing themselves for not being able to achieve it and having Matt as the winner ala Ben/Fleur.
OMG, they are letting the backgroud singers close the show? New level of desperation alert !!!
They have bussed both Matt and Emily, 5AM pimp slot..
Completely jumping at something here – but Simon saying “it feels like something’s got lost” from where he was at the start. As if there was a distraction…like the Star story?
Strangely both Matt and Emily both doing a defensive “this is me and what I do” rant at the end (both to Dermot’s horror!!)
Almost as if they’ve twigged what’s going on
Emily has always remained resolutely positive in the face of her criticism in previous weeks. This week she looked utterly defeated.
wembley for the final big stage Saara wins
Just from a glance on twitter, there seems to be a lot of agreement with Simon’s comments. It seems Matt’a support is being tested this evening.
5am are shite — any backers should go to spec/ear saversi#
Massive appeal for Saara from Sharon there.
Everyone’s getting pleads for votes.
WOW ! Some pipes… some performance…
proud to be a Saara backer
Saara backer since chandelier
The Audition
Going for the Saara win here that’s what tonight has showed.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I’ve gone all Mrs O. Can’t say a word. Crying. Brilliant.
She’s absolutely walking it now!
Saara thanks Britain, and says she’s staying in the country. Yup.
going broke 5 a m
5AM in the pimp slot – but how many viewers will have just used up all their app votes on Saara?
For me it didn’t quite connect the way last week’s did – I feel this moment was more manufactured by the producers. But fair play, it’s more than enough to get to the final and she is just so likeable. It seems a long time ago when Louis called her cold!
This site needs renaming SaaraBet at the minute!
Hard to see Saara b2 after that, mind.
Saara has this in the bag.
Best vocal and judges/producers firmly behind her. Fait accompli
Two words: Susan Boyle
I’m super proud of what Saara has achieve this season as a contestant, especially after that rocky start against tptb, and that was probably the best performance of the season but I feel like it didn’t come across as the big emotionally in tears Moment they were hoping for. But maybe I’ve been watching this show far too long and can’t connect with it emotionally anymore. Either way Saara clearly wins this week.
Saara now huge favourite. 8/11.
Matt 2’s
They want Emily gone so Saara has no other female for votes ,competition hence pimp slot here for 5AM.
I think it’s more they want 5am in the final, almost at all costs
BUT have they gone all out for Saara because they desperately want her to finish ahead of two other acts tonight or because they actually want her to win?
Again, there were enough signs tonight for me that this was a controlled pimp rather than putting everything behind her aiming for the win.
They could easily give her Candy next week.
Using the four acts have topped the vote, you can work out she topped last week. The continued push is for the win.
You’ll have to explain that one….
We were told at the start of week 7 three acts had topped the vote.
Meaning a new act had topped in either week 7 or 8.
5AM were bottom week 8 and “Try a Little Tenderness” was bad in week 7 so they wouldn’t have newly topped the vote.
Emily’s best week by far was Fright Night with Creep if she didn’t top then she wouldn’t have topped at all so she must have been one of the three too.
So either Matt or Saara topped the vote for the first time. Matt was topping Spotify, the odds and polls in the early weeks. It just seems much more likely Saara topped last week than for Titanic or Matt not topping in the early weeks.
What’s strange though is how everyone on here became fans if Saara due to lack of producer and audience favouritism.
Now she has all that while Matt and Emily get stitched up the last few weeks and no sympathy for them
Just saying :/
I love her vocals, never even went on sofa bet until about week 3.
I felt a bit sorry for both Matt and Emily tonight. Matt seemed really down, and Emily talking back at the judges at the end of her second performance suggests that they are both well aware of what’s going on this week.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I always quite liked Saara from the start. She’s one of the types of X Factor contestant I always like, I always seem to like the big voiced divas. I liked Relley C as well. The moment I started becoming a “fan” of Saara was when she performed ‘Alive’ in her first sing-off. I was a bit disgusted with all the “Zara from abroad” stuff that was thrown at her by the show early on, but for me liking Saara has never been a “sympathy vote”, and I don’t think it has for a lot of people on here, I think it’s more about personal taste. There’s been a lot of times one of my favourites has been an act which keeps surviving sing-offs, but I never go into a series thinking I need to support an act like that, it just seems to be how it turns out for some reason.
I mean, I think Saara has this, I just hope it isn’t a Fleur situation where she lost out to the basic white male after all the hype. I could see that one but that might just be because I was a Ben supporter and now I’m one for Saara.
Fleur was patently a worse singer than Ben, Saara doesn’t have the same problem. I’m rooting for her much more than any other contestant in recent times.
Fleur was a much better singer than Ben… Did you not hear his duet with Leona on last year’s final?! Yikes.
Matt/Emily B2? What is this
I never though I was going to say this.
Matt Emily B2
Emily Eliminated
5AM
SAARA WINS!!!!!!
I realised it just before the show, pity I didn’t have time earlier in the day..
That was 5 After Midnight’s best performance of the series for me.
They’re gunning for a Matt v Emily bottom two.
Of course. Tonight was about getting emily bottom.
Was a terrible show tonight to be honest and I’m a Saara fan. Felt bringing Emily and Matt down was at expense of the show. Not thar Matt or Emily 2nd performance were bad anyway,they were pretty good but definitely no help.
I think they went in on Matt to level the field and try to make 5AM bounce ahead of Emily. Matt in the B2 is a dangerous outcome if they want anyone else to win, he would bounce all the way to the win. They need to keep him firmly under the radar to Marcus Collins him.
I think you overestimate the power of the bounce. It only works if voters perceive the b2 appearance as undeserved or the contestant as being significantly better the next week.
I get that but it’s Matt MOR-Middle-England-Catnip Terry we’re talking about here. If James Arthur did it from Week 7 I can only expect Matt do easily ride that wave to first place.
I hope you are right though, I suppose I’m just cautious at this point seeing I’m rooting for a Saara win.
in the event of a Matt / Emily b2, surely the best thing to do for a Sara win is get rid of Matt? he’s the only other contestant left who can sing.
Can’t do that. That would damage the show.
clearly they want Matt and Emily B2
They must feel they can get it based on voting in previous weeks IMO
Anyone seen Stoney tonight??? Maybe he’s cooking his hat????
Two words. Ben Haenow.
?
He doesn’t need to start cooking his hat yet. He might not be eating it. Most people thought Fleur had if not won her semi-final at least brought herself close and had a chance at the win.
Turned out not so much.
Ah. That wasn’t what I was talking about.
I’m missing it then. Please share.
I can’t believe you remember that comment
He might have one of those food hats
Haha I’ve been busy watching my team get spanked by arsenal. Bad night all round
Fair play to you, you have a great sense of humour. This thing is still a bit of lottery this year… It was fairly certain some years and you had to be worked on to listen and save the day, not to mind this year 🙂
You win some you lose more. Be thankful for Health is my advice. If Emily goes out this weekend I’ll be using my winnings to cover against a saara win!
In the words of Chaka Khan I feel for you.
Matt may still win but not too sure about the Hammers chances…
But I’d get your hat in the oven tomorrow night… 😉
Have they ever ramped anyone in the semi they didn’t want to win in the final – I can’t think of any examples.
So although there’s a danger of group-think, I think that has to look good for Saara (and, implausibly, my position in the win market)
No, but I think we’ve all seen an act ramped who didn’t then go on to win. It’s becoming cliché to mention Ben/Fleur tonight – but forget it and the lessons learned at your peril!
However, we know that unlike Fleur, Saara has topped the vote at least once – and it was probably last week. But I just feel caution should be exercised because the final is so oft won by the performer who is closest to the middle of the road – and that is plainly Matt.
I wouldn’t be totally shocked at her having won Week 6 (her best performance to me!) and/or Week 3 Rachel Adedeji-style, honestly.
Simon spoke a huge amount of sense tonight.
I wish I’d stuck a fiver on Saara at 100/1.
Imagine, we could have lost her in week one to Brattavio
Saara is very lucky Honey G was on. If she was not, Brats would have been saved.
I’m not sure about that. They were always first week fodder.
Saara’s two performances already have almost double of the views of everyone else’s on YouTube.
That CAN’T be only Finnish fans.
Particularly as Finns were able to watch live this week.
It’s not only Finnish fans. Saara’s been getting a million views in 24 hours. No way that a country of five million would be responsible of that on its own.
If you look at last week, her second performance has just under a million views but TWTIA has nearly 1.7 million. Some of that will be replay value but certainly a lot of people only sought out one of her performances which Finnish fans wouldn’t do if they were catching up.
Wow! What kind of odds I am getting for Matt!
Ending up into b2 does not mean that much. I still think Matt has bigger chance for winning than Saara.
Saara will end up into 2nd place. I think what they try ti achieve is transfer Matts votes temporarily to 5AM. When 5AM will be eliminated, Matt will be number one again 🙂
Definitely a possibility. Do they really want to give Saara a record contract? She wont make Cowell any money.
Yeah. The chinese and japanese markets are tiny for a start. She might as well not bother.
*ahem*
Japan’s market is bigger than ours, actually.
Yeah. That was sarcasm.
Ah, right. It sometimes doesn’t come across in text form. 😛
I said I thought it would be a Saara / Matt top 2 the week Gifty went out. I got a lot of stick for it. I thought everyone knew.
I thought it was the gospel market you were an ‘expert’ on Jessica. 😉
Your insight knows no limit.
Sarcasm too.
I’m sure that’s really funny and clever in your head Alan.
Jess doesn’t know how to disagree without being disagreeable.
And I’m sure that’s really clever and accurate in your head Sagand.
You could say the same thing about Matt – winners such as he have historically been dropped from Syco very quickly. For me, I think the producers have showed their hand. They would prefer Saara to win than Matt because it would be a better story – better publicity for the show. The question is not whether they want Saara to win, but whether Saara actually can win. Everytime I think yes she can, images of Ben Haenow swim across my mind.
Could Saara win? I’d love it to happen, I still can’t quite see it. Her Christmas performance was the only one I geniunely enjoyed tonight. I wasn’t so keen on ‘Chandelier’, the arrangement more than anything. I really, really like her as a person, and I think she has won people over that might not have been fans of her before.
Matt was good too though, despite the deramping. Say what you like about him, but he can sing.
They are really pushing it with 5AM, both in the sense they are hyping them and that it’s starting to look a bit daft.
I thought overall Emily was the worst, and I’ve somewhat liked her throughout the live shows. As usual, it’s not entirely the act’s fault, but when the show wants them to go, they want them to go.
On a more positive note, I think it’s not a bad final 4 really, all things considered.
Just my opinion, but I thought her “Chandelier” was brilliant. Compare it with Matt’s version of “Alive” and the pieces fall into place.
Well, my hat is currently marinating ready for dinner tomorrow. One has to now assume Emily was the act 1% above 5AM. They did everything they could to get them above her tonight.
The way I read it was that TPTB had two goals tonight. Dampen Emily to bottom of the pile and dampen Matt to ensure Saarah was given the opportunity to steer clear of bottom two
Beginning to look like they want the feel good story of a Saarah victory. However, I don’t think Matt will have lost any fans tonight so next week will be interesting.
Just watching the playback now. Matt in poor slot again! Hes either running away with it or they are desperate for him not to win
This evening is an odd one. It truly is a measure of whether the public will play ball with the obvious producer intention. I think the show is at a stage now where they wouldn’t be so brazen with their treatment of Emily and Matt tonight unless the desired outcome was achievable. I don’t think Matt will have been near the top of the vote for a few weeks based on the various statistics we’ve been given, Saara probably has been and 5AM are likely all over the place. I think emily has been kept in her lane and likely to come to her natural end.
I think a Matt and Emily b2 is entirely likely tomorrow with Emily leaving.
Matt vs Emily B2 is my instinct too, but the market still thinks 5 After Midnight are more likely than Matt. I think it’s wrong and should be the other way around.
Previous show form says 5AM are b2 tomorrow, they have been there before and Matt hasn’t so I get the logic but producer intention tonight says otherwise. Depends if the public play ball. I don’t think we’d have seen what we saw tonight unless it was a realistic outcome.
It’s much closer than I thought it would be on Google Trends, clear gap between the top two (Saara and Matt) and the bottom two (Emily and 5AM).
I think the bottom two in the vote will be 5AM and Emily with Emily going by whatever means is necessary.
I must be the only one that thinks Saara’s performances tonight were nothing to write home about? When she came to the chorus of AIWFCIY it became painfully clear her voice is not big enough for that song. And her second performance didn’t come close to her audition. I was waiting and waiting for that “moment” to happen, but it didn’t. She still got a standing ovation from the judges.
Emily was terrible on both of her performances. Simon was way too harsh on Matt, perhaps he really wants to have Emily in the final and wants Matt gone? 5 AM did okay with the help of a backing track.
AIWFCIY was hardly spectacular but it was the only cheery Christmas song sung, and coming right after the three other dirges that was a huge advantage already.
That wasn’t just a de-ramp on Matt tonight, that felt like a rather brutal beating with a sledge hammer. The ramping of 5am and Saara puts pressure on his vote from 2 directions. 5am steal the teenage girl type vote, while Saara takes away those supporting him on the basis of having the best voice in the competition. Simon’s comments were harsh, but true.
i think both Matt and Emily seemed aware of what was happening to them tonight. Emily had the look of defeat from the beginning and was probably prepared for it before the show (well rehearsed defense of her song choices). I think Matt only realised during the show and you could see the panic and disbelief dawn on him and he went into desperation mode and it didn’t look good (the pleading felt a little too full on, which is understandable if he wasn’t expecting it). I think its only natural when everyone tells you that you’re the sure winner and odds on favourite to be at least quietly confident about winning, so he’s been caught badly off-guard tonight. Confidence could be an issue for him next week now and he won’t have any underdog status even if he hits B2 this week. If anything, there will still be a sense that he’s the one that’s had it easy and has been the producers favourite with the public IMO.
They definitely want a Matt / Emily B2. I think Matt needs to be in the final to make it the better show next week, so Emily goes home. I feel that Matt limps into the final rather damaged though….
Or maybe tonight’s pimping of Saara was all about getting her to the final to satisfy the Finnish viewers (for the new TV deal) and then next week Matt will bounce and it’ll be business as usual!
With regards the win, I agree with the market that Emily is rightly regarded as a non runner now – she’s had no chance to fly the last few weeks and it’s a bit of a borefest.
I’m pretty amazed Matt is still shorter than 2/1 – early slots week after week and producers intentions couldn’t be clearer tonight – not a preferred winner. If he’s miles clear in the vote you don’t deramp your winner in the semi final, hence don’t see that as a realistic scenario.
Well done to all those who got on Saara at silly prices – great call. I thought after the ludicrous wig a few weeks ago it wasn’t going to happen for her, quite the turnaround.
Deserving fav and would probably make her 60% for the win.
Saying that, I think 5AM win in an ideal world, although I see this as somewhat an outside chance. Think they did a good job with them tonight and should be safe, with perhaps a 20% chance they could overhaul Saara in the final.
Matt has been hard done by this series, I could see him go tomorrow as if the Emily vote is more under control they could keep her and don’t have to worry about deramping Matt during the final. Emily can do a couple of nice productions (Creep again?!) and bow out with a dignified third.
Producers should be ashamed of themselves for what they’ve done to Matt Terry. When he started he was sparkly, sexy and versatile. I thought his version of “Alive” was so raw and beautiful.
Now he’s looking bloated, confused and as if he couldn’t give a damn.