Truly, I’m a glutton for punishment. I watched the live show three times last weekend: the first, prerecorded version on Saturday afternoon having queued for hours on an industrial estate in Park Royal; I got home on Saturday evening to see the technical shambles of its first television airing; before putting myself through Sunday’s truncated effort.
Sofabet stalwart Tpfkar, with a fresh pair of eyes on this season, summed it up nicely: “Has it all been that shambolic? Would never have happened back in the day – felt like a lot less care was taken across the show than it once was.” Having witnessed production staff running around on Saturday afternoon, hissing: “this prerecording should have been done HOURS ago,” I completely concur.
Still, the running order made clear who the producer targets were, and Molly plus United Vibe were duly despatched, the former in a brutal singoff climax against Acacia and Aaliyah.
Both departing acts had been in an early sandwich involving Dalton and Shan, who Cowell referenced as having a “battle” for the crown. iTunes positions once again had Dalton on top with Shan in second place.
United Vibe and Molly looked ill-prepared and slightly broken by the whole X Factor experience, thanking everyone working on the show in a display of Stockholm Syndrome at its finest.
Let us know your continued thoughts on the weekend’s strange events below.
Lol @ Stockholm Syndrome although I actually think TPTB gave United Vibe a fair crack and only gave up when it was clear they were beyond help. I didn’t see Molly before the first live show but it was clear that she was massively out of her depth in the lives.
After rewatching the show, think we need a little perspective on what we have left….
10 contestants, 4 more live show weekends (including the final). Thats 3 more double evictions, presuming tptb are aiming for a 4 act final weekend. With the safety net of a 3 act final and triple elimination the week before if someone is gaining traction who they dont want.
The problem with this is that the bounce could come in to play at the wrong time.
I wouldnt have thought tptb would want danny anywhere near the final for instance. Also, if he is gaining the nan vote, I could suggest that vote would transfer to brendan along with united vibes vote.
Keeping this in mind, I wpuld be going for a final 4 from scarlet/brendan/anthony/gio/bella. I just cant see dalton reaching the final.
I just get the feeling that tptb plan has been anthony v brendan all along.
You can’t see Dalton reaching the final? Did you not see the reaction he got last week? And the fact he’s miles ahead on iTunes, YouTube and the betting odds? He is absolutely walking it at the moment.
I would bet my house that Dalton will reach the final.
I think he’ll be there with Scarlett, Misunderstood and Shan or Gio.
Expect to see the rug being pulled from under Danny this week – hopefully no more tech issues making him memorable/ giving the sympathy vote.
Scarlett looks like a typical 4th placed girl to me. I doubt she and Shan will get to the final. I doubt Misunderstood could get that far at the current rate.
I think Dalton will win with Shan being second and Gio third.
Do they really want 3/4 solo singers in the final? If not then it’s realistically only misunderstood to be there too. Will they get a push in movie week?
The stats for Dalton compared to others is huge ( Louis factor?), and at this stage it’s now a one horse race. Still don’t think he is that good and hoping for Shan to close the gap, but she needs tptb to get her there.
Mind you talking of tptb….is ANYONE in charge this year!?? :-))
Song guessed for this week
Dalton – listen
Shan – never enough
Misunderstood – try a little tenderness
Danny – my heart will go on
Goo- phantom of the opera
Scarlett – skyfall
Bella – maybe jail house rock
Idc for everyone else
Just like fright night being a kill for gamma girls. Movie week has killed of boys
2014 – jake quickened
2016 – Ryan Lawrie
2011 – Craig Colton
I can see Brendan following this trend alongside a and A making for a nice top 8
Couldn’t have been more textbook this week, the obvious targets were taken out with poor ROs and songs.
Had already backed UV to go first. Molly could have been in the sing off against anyone farting into the mic. Went all in on her going.
I think there is a clear, top, middle and trash tier this series. Our stats currently have Dalton absolutely bossing it and it’s hard to see far beyond him. I have Scarlett slightly more popular than Shan but her late start means Dalton has the momentum – though she may catch up by the end of the series.
I think they are aiming for all judges to have an act in the final. So I would say a Shan, Dalton, Gio and Misunderstood final is what they would like. Dalton obviously will be there and Misunderstood is a definite I would say because of Robbie. There is no way they would leave Robbie with no acts in the final.
@ TellyStats
Who are your tips for next elimination then? I could’ve sworn you were suggesting Bella was a candidate last week.
Question for condideration….
– who beats brendan on a sing off? (If there is a chosen one who tptb wouldnt want to be tainted by a b2 singoff)…..
Dalton, Shan, Anthony, Bella, Scarlett, Gio and Misunderstood maybe.
Thats not the point Im trying to make. Hpe do they do it witbout “tainting” an act?
Anthony v dalton in a bottom 2 singoff.
Anthony wins.
No way. Show would lose what little credibility it still has. What on earth makes you think they want Anthony to do well? Totally devoid of star quality. It’s purely about the backstory with him. They definitely don’t want him to win.
Yeah Anthony is just there to help make Louis look good. They wouldn’t dream of signing him.
Prediction for top boy/girl/over/group ?
Dalton/Scarlett/Gio/Misunderstood
So Saturday was a mess. That poor sound quality was a joke.
Odd that it scuppered two acts that we are guessing may be doing better than expected in the vote aka Anthony and Danny. Why didn’t Cowell apologise to viewers to show he was angry and disappointed in the show being effected? I wonder if deep down he doesn’t care anymore. Last week he seemed to have no clue what was happening with Dermot announcing the categories that were safe in the results show. This year’s X Factor has some great performers, but the production quality is falling apart before our eyes.
TPTB must have been concerned about Anthony and Danny as they could quite easily have just shown THEIR songs again on Sunday – but rather than give them too much focus they montaged them with all the other perforners. There was no need.
Anthony’s clocks and then FIRE, setting them totally ablaze was a massive dampner.
I’m a little puzzled why some idiots(s) on the show took an act who were polling above the Bottom 3 courtesy of Stormzy, Cardi B and Skepta… and tried to give them a “moment” with a song 25 years old that wasn’t even “cool” at the time it was released, let alone now?
Acacia and Aaliyah are real stars and were given a song choice like they were Honey f***ing G.
Unbelievable. I don’t think that it was a planned take-down, just pure incompetence…
It was intended, imo. They have shown no intention of wanting them to make the final, let alone win.
Idk what’s worse. That u think Dalton would hit the sing off or that Dalton would lose to Anthony
Completely agree with some of the above comments about Anthony he’s finishing 4th or 5th in this competition for me! Totally devoid of star quality and I can’t remember to many acts winning the X factor who didn’t have some star quality in them! Anthony’s odds have drifted somewhat in the betting and that looks spot on !
I thought A and A treatment was deliberate. They were cool before but last week looked dated with a song choice that wouldn’t have ‘delighted the demo’. Maybe tptb decided to dampen them as their vote just wasn’t taking off. The girls looked like they had joined the circus and ‘colour vomit’ made them a certain bottom 3 for me. They will be gone soon.
Anthony as I have already said I think is doing well. A huge clocks/fire production showed how concerned tptb are. I love a story/ a feelgood winner but after watching how they nobbled Maloney in the end I think they will pull out all the stops to bring him down. He will finish 4th. My money now is on Gio to make top 3.
The Louis vote is an interesting one. The followers are voting for his acts but only if they are any good. I think it’ Brendan next to leave to on Sunday.
To add to the views against Anthony, seems like the show is basically trying to do him over also.
Rigged claims reported in this article?
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/7658000/x-factor-sound-issue-ratings-plummet/
When is the cut off for the live shows? My guess is tptb will want Brendan on the bill.
The Louis followers were encouraging fellow fans to vote for Brendan last week as Dalton and Ant are deemed safe. A concerted effort could stop Brendan going first.
I predict a huge push for Shan soon. She has more to her than slow ballards as shown in judges houses.
I think she is the best singer in the competition. What concerns me is that Dalton sang a Whitney song and thats Shans day job. Are they going to have a ‘Whitney off’ swerve the whole issue?
@ Joe Lemer
You’re placing a lot of significance on these burning clocks and overlooking the four judge standing ovation for Anthony. Don’t quite understand why you think the clocks are so off-putting. Surely the easiest way to dampen Anthony is to stay seated and give some non-motivational comments?
I’ve never bought in to the subliminal message theories on here. Don’t credit TPTB with that level of subtlety.
I was a bit skeptical of that sort of thing too, though over the years of reading Sofabet I bought into more and more! On balance I think some of it was deliberate, some of it was accidental.
Never believed the plinth or cage of light theories.. I think on the whole the plan is to make everyone’s staging look impressive to make the show itself look as good as possible.
The things like burning clocks might just be the producers having a little fun and not meant to be noticed consciously. But there have been some clear hatchet jobs in the past too.
That’s a fair point Alan. Judges staying seated would be an easier way to dampen someone’s vote but you run the risk of an act gaining sympathy votes if judges go into too hard with comments.
From watching during the last few years I have always been fascinated by the staging theories on here and on Betsfactor. I do believe there as some truth in it. Too many times predictions relating to staging have come true and seen a contestant in the sing off.
Anthony’s negative staging was at odds with the standing ovation. I was surprised at their reaction. Unless there was a plan to de-ramp with planned staging and then at the 11th hour a change of heart.
I totally accept that there has been deliberate negative staging in the past. No doubt about that. Anton’s graveyard was one of my favourites. It’s the small things that people pick up on like these burning clocks that I think are just coincidence and not part of any deliberate plan.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Dalton’s contact lenses. I found them incredibly off-putting and wondered if it was deliberate. Much has been made about eyes and their connection to the audience on this site in the past. The overall look was pretty harsh and a much more menacing Halloween look than the other contestants.
I mentioned it during the show itself on the Week Two review.
“They messed with Dalton’s hair and eyes (contacts) plus given him a cage of light and sent him out second… but I sense they’re playing silly beggars with us because his vocal and performance surely got him through that?”
Can anyone pinpoint the Alpha, Beta and Gamma for the Girls category a the moment because I can’t. All three seem to be favoured – I think Scarlett connects best with the audience, Bella is probably the most commercial of the three but Shan keeps knocking it out of the park vocally? I think the winner will come from that wheelhouse.
re: staging and subliminals. it’s worth visiting as part of a wider context. as alan mentioned, anton’s graveyard was a shining example of the death imagery the show was associating with trying to get rid of him. that said, fleur east and her apocalypse performance in the final on a stage laden with fire and literal red flags was probably more indicative of the show wanting to make an impressive visual, considering the push they gave her.
i didn’t even notice anthony and his clocks – the rest of his treatment seemed positive, they were probably there to look pretty.
Agree on wider context. I think in the past the situation has been that the same small staging details could be deliberately thought through in one performance and coincidental in another – depends on whether they seem to be part of a coherent bigger picture of what they’re trying to do to an act. If they’ve been laser-focused on trying to bring down or build up an act, then I think they’d sweat the small subtle staging details because they’ll all contribute a little bit – but they wouldn’t do that for every act because they wouldn’t have the time/energy/staff and on their own the small details have only small effects. We tried to flesh out this line of thinking in the Saara Aalto Eurovision staging piece –
https://sofabet.com/2018/08/27/saara-aalto-eurovision-review-x-factor-2018-preview/
Unfortunately, the bigger picture this year seems to be that there is no bigger picture – they just don’t seem to care very much. So far there’s been none of the clever stuff we used to see in which VT, song choice, staging, comments etc would all play off each other in a coherent way. Scarlett in week 2 is an example – the VT started by repeating Cowell’s “pub singer-ish” comment and then showed vocal coach Annie telling her she “growls” (!) – and then a few minutes later she was getting a standing ovation and Robbie was saying she’s a contender. There comes a point when all you can do is shrug and say “this doesn’t merit analysing”.
So while I can totally imagine seeing significance in Dalton’s contacts and Anthony’s clocks in other circumstances, so far this year I’m inclined to think that the Occam’s Razor explanation for all the mixed messages is that they don’t really give a shit any more.
I agree with the above. I honestly think somebody is running away with the vote.
Some of the attempted deramps weve seen have been attempts at testing the vote under the top 1 or 2. Remember the best singer doesnt always win.
Daltons eyes reminded me of andrea faustini beong dressed as a golden imp. I think that there are far to many possible vt etc options as well as costume issues to see dalton to the win. Trip to the Jamaican Embassy anyone?
Watching the replay with relatives turned out comments on him such as ‘he looks weird’ ‘theres something not right about him’ and ‘I wouldnt listen to him on a sunday afternoon’. From the watching positive comments came back for scarlet amd brendan, my relative actually said ‘I want to make him a cuppa and look after him so he does well’.
Yes, Dalton is running away with the vote. What show are you watching?
RO looks like a deramp for Gio, Anthony and Brendan. Surprised at Gio but the other 2 were inevitable.
Dalton looks to be pimped again with Scarlett becoming alpha girl based on the order.
Danny has My Heart will Go On and he doesn’t look to be in particular danger so far.
With A&A and Bella I am not sure, Bella will probably stay above the B3 and Anthony could slip below A&A.
Do we think dalton will do the Sia version of California Dreamin from San Andreas? Could be pretty epic. Also expecting Scarlett to do well. I have money on her as top girl rather than Shan as well as Dalton at 10-1.
Spoilers making me happy so far!
California Dreamin’ can be a song which throws an act under the bus – giving the impression a contestant wants to be anywhere but here, especially a foreign contestant.
And as horrible it is to say the ‘foreign’ element can be used to deflate. Remember Sean Miley Moore’s performance in 2015? Excellent vocal but alienating to the audience and pushed the above aspect of “wanting to be anywhere else” (as well as depriving him of his trademark headgear look).
Following on from last week’s change of style and giving Dalton to contacts I think the producers believe they can get someone to top spot over him but don’t want to be too obvious about a deramp. And if this is the case I’m expecting some ‘Best of British’ comments to be thrown out tomorrow.
Yeah I think it will be similar to the Sia version, as Sean Miley Moore’s version was, and that Maria Laroco did it in Judges Houses, and some girl on America’s Got Talent a couple years ago.
Interesting song choices. I don’t know who is in trouble this week tbh, apart from Dalton, Shan, Scarlett and Misunderstood, you can make a case for any of the others to be eliminated. I don’t see Anthony being in the bottom 3 this week, I predict a bottom 3 of Gio, Brendan and Danny, with Gio being saved. If he is to get to the final like you all say he will, it is highly unlikely it won’t involve a sing off save.
Looks to me like this is the week Scarlett gets the push that sets up the momentum for her to win the final in a few weeks time. Still think Anthony has been at the top end of the vote but im guessing they are now starting to cut into his vote and the dampening will begin.
I don’t see why they’d want Scarlett to win the show. She’s a good singer but I think Dalton would sell more records. It might be that Shan hasn’t polled so well the last couple of weeks and they’re seeing Scarlett as a back-up or someone to push to the final, to make it seem like there is still a competition going here.
Like it or not, the British public are much more likely to vote for one of their own when it comes to the crunch. The only way Dalton would win a final is if he was given help. Why would he sell more records? Hes already a failed act. I think your blinkered by your book.
I still stand by the fact that none of the acts in this series will go on to have any sort of career.
I think Bella has potential but she has to be managed far moe effectively than other recent acts have been – particularly Rak Su.
Stoney, who do you think the finalists will be and the winner this series? It’s quite hard to tell this year.
Its been a conundrum for sure.
I had cashed out all stakes and was going to leave this series alone but Im back for one last roll of the dice with Scarlett 🙂
Nope, I haven’t even placed any bets this year.
Leona Lewis was a failed act before she auditioned for The X Factor. It means nothing. You can be the best singer in the world and not make it if the stars don’t align.
He is the best male singer they’ve had on the show since James Arthur and he comes across as a very humble, likable guy. I don’t think people care where he comes from.
Nobody’s guaranteed a career from these shows but if they can find the right material for him he has the potential to sell records because he has everything else there already.
I like Scarlett too and wouldn’t be surprised if she made the top 2 and got signed to Syco. Just saying I don’t see why they would much prefer her to win over Dalton, who’s probably already walking the vote. He’s getting twice as many views on YouTube than anybody else.
Ben Cook
As I always say about these so-called failed acts, if they’ve been working and earning money, they’ve not really failed, except in the unrealistic perception of people who’ve never worked in the industry. They used to say “cruise ship”, now they say “pub act”. I know excellent acts that love cruise ship gigs, and others that make a good living doing pubs. In my book that’s not failure. As for Dalton, they’ve tried, rather half heartedly, to de-ramp him by giving him songs they thought were way out of his comfort zone, and he’s nailed them every time. You can never rule out some negative news story turning up, but he should win this easily otherwise. But really, what a mess this series has been. Have they handed over production to the work experience lads and lasses?
I do remember Seann Miley Moore – interestingly he also sang Life on Mars.
I feel however that Dalton is way beyond the point where Seann was in popularity and most people do love that song.
There was a comment Simon made last week about it not being that Dalton needed the show but that the show needed him. I think that was fairly telling, and true at this point.
I think he’s way ahead in the vote but that the ptb would be fairly happy with him or Scarlett/Shan winning.
Personally I think Antony’s choice is awful and could really test his vote this week.
Id still be backing brendan, especially at the huge price.
With song choice and running order danny and a & a to go this week.
Rak-Su are out of Syco, but not for the reasons you think.
https://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/the-x-factor/382559-little-mix-leave-simon-cowells-syco-label-after-extraordinary-row.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
GIRLS
Bella Penfold – A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman
Scarlett Lee – I’ll Never Love Again from A Star Is Born
Shan Ako – Never Enough from The Greatest Showman
GROUPS
Acacia and Aaliyah – Survivor from Tomb Raider
Misunderstood – Maniac from Flashdance
OVERS
Danny Tetley – My Heart Will Go On from Titanic
Giovanni Spano – The Greatest Show from The Greatest Showman
BOYS
Anthony Russell – Eye Of The Tiger from Rocky
Brendan Murray – Everybody Hurts from Bewitched
Dalton Harris – California Dreaming from San Andreas
Brendan and Shan going back to older songs. Is that a warning sign
Watching the news I’m slightly surprised they haven’t switched Dalton’s song from California Dreamin’.
Brendan singing everybody hurts?
Isnt that his “golden buzzer” song… Wonder if the running order is correct… if so, I reckon this will be his moment to push on for the win… 80/1 skybet
Gio memoryholed by Dalton and Scarlett. Could this be Shan’s “moment” or a last chance to fly in the vote? Has Anthony been running away with the vote and they’ve just accepted the inevitable? Danny too perhaps? The RO raises lots of questions.
B3 looks to be Brendan, A&A and Gio, and I imagine the latter would be saved in that scenario.
Really odd if they try to nobble any of the front runners as none are commercial this year (Misunderstood could have been) so you’d think they’d just want a good competition for the sake of ratings. But often they just can’t help themselves.
@TellyStats reporting a significant running order change. Gio on first, Shan last.
Oh look, more Greatest Showman.
End of journey VT for Gio. Insanity toned down, red, black and fire. Definite deramp.
I think the opposite. I’m starting to think he could actually win this.
Followed by adverts – a good sign of producer favour.
I guess, things like fire are bad for most acts but for somebody as crazy and fun as Gio I think it fits…
Aren’t most of them?!
I thought it was his best performance yet. He’ll go through.
Scarlett’s best performance yet. Dalton who?
It was good but note only Simon stood up. Dalton knocked it out of the park again.
Feels like they are deliberately top-loading this week, perhaps to help the ratings. If they put all the crap ones on people turn off.
Not sure I agree. I thought it was a bit messy and she lost control of it a little. Still very very good mind.
Dalton is walking this in my opinion. Scarlett and Shan fighting for second. Everyone else fighting for a final spot.
Well at least Brendan has his plumbing to fall back on.
No need to vote for Brendan he has a fall back plan. But wait…..
Massive pimping from judges.
The comeback kid.
But is that end of journey. You achieved what you set out to do, to find your lane. Bounces this week.
Dalton, Scarlet/Shan, Gio and Brendan final?
I’d say semi finals with another sing off save but I doubt he’d make the finals. We already know his vote isn’t great,
End of journey – he got praise from the judges?
It’s unusual for Dermot to draw attention to something like the judges giving positive comments in the way he did.
Another cheesy speech…
(Never seen the movie so I apologise if it’s from that)
Did Nile throw production under the bus then? Saying Misunderstood didn’t want to perform the song like that?
Nile is brilliant.
Misunderstood on pre-performance VT: “This is completely us this week”
Nile afterwards: “I know this wasn’t entirely what you wanted to do”
He’s so off message it’s actually brilliant.
Have to say found Misunderstood seriously underwhelming. Normally like them.
Could they be in trouble? A+A similarly.
Simon setting Danny up for his end of journey next week.
It’s done. Anthony wins the X Factor.
Not a chance. Very low appeal outside of Liverpool.
I don’t think Ants going anywhere this week. But a winner – nah.
Out week before the final I reckon.
Anthony’s best performance. Even against Dalton in the final he’d win based on a performance like that and some other unfortunate factors I’d rather not mentiom. Imagine that performance in Wembley.
As Joe has said, Anthony Russell has won the X Factor, if he has producer favour. I think he has.
Surely not. He comes across as thoroughly unlikeable and his vocal is distinctly average. And surely the whole Rocky and boxer thing harks back to last year when he turned up at auditions with a black eye. I simply can’t have him winning.
He’s an everyday kan. He’s one of us, and that’s not even including his multi-year spanning storyline. That’s a powerful thing voting wise. Think back to Sam Bailey, for example.
That only works in a year when there’s no one particularly talented. Anthony is pushing for the final now but he will not beat Dalton.
Shan seems to have really faded since week 1.
He’s no Sam Bailey!
She had the best vocal of her year. Anthony does not. Likeable rogue yes – voice to win, not compared to multiple other contestants.
i’m all aboard the anthony russell train. unless he has series brakes applied, i think he wins. they’ve had the wheels in motion for a year, he’s singing crowd pleasers, from liverpool. i don’t think anybody else can touch him.
I think Anthony could make the final. But no way he wins over Dalton. He has his praises but a lot of ppl do recognize his bad vocals. None the less he’s safe for this week.
For this week
A and A bttm
Danny vs misunderstood/gio
Prediction for this week.
A+A bottom.
Bottom two Brendan and Misunderstood- Brendan goes.
Gotta save Robbie one group for his return !
Misunderstood will be bottom, A&A will lose in a sing off against Bella.
Not a chance will all groups be out so early. Robbie might as well not return.
Hang on. Maybe that was the plan all along…
Was out last night so didnt see the show. I did however manage to see that Scarlett had been switched to an early slot and cashed out my stake and used it more wisely on strictly come dancing. Im now stakeless again. Which feels the safest place to be with this series.
Chris, really no evidence they’ve tried to deramp him. Why would they continue to give him standing ovations if they didn’t want him to do well?
If they wanted to, they could use those old chestnuts about over-singing or being a one trick pony.
I think people are trying too hard to see a “value” bet on someone who’s going to make a last minute dash to the win.
Stop overthinking it. Dalton is totally Matt Cardling this.
Dont write off the people’s champ.
Just watched his performance from last night as it goes. Absolutely brilliant. Im tempted to jump back on.
I imagine he picked up a fair few fans outside of Liverpool after that last night.
^ This. Remember, the best vocal doesn’t always win.
When it comes to the crunch I believe people will vote for an act like Anthony over Scarlett or Dalton, should he get that far.
Could some YouTube views for Dalton potentially be from Jamaica?
Anthony’s gone from an also-ran to a potential finalist but he’s a long way from winning.
I really doubt many people in Jamaica are interested! And Dalton has two songs on the iTunes top 100 – everyone else nowhere to be seen.
They wouldn’t have went to the hassle of creating a storyline for Anthony if they didn’t want him to do well.
Turns out people in Jamaica are interested, credit to ESCTips: https://mobile.twitter.com/ESCtips_Gavster/status/1061604755112366081
As someone with relatives who used to live in Jamaica, and who take an interest in everything Jamaican, I can assure people that Dalton Harris is a big thing in Jamaica, and Jamaica has a huge diaspora, many of whom will know how to use a VPN to spoof the X Factor app. I don’t know if X Factor has any software to spot this, but judging by the fact that they had to cancel the vote last week because of gremlins, I doubt it.
Yes, I’ve seen quite a lot of Twitter etc posts on how to use a VPN to vote for Dalton. They’re definitely trying harder than Saara Aalto’s Finnish fans.
Good comparison Tom! In terms of personality I can’t think of two nations more different than Finland and Jamaica. I’ve spent a great deal of time in both, and had a very good time doing it. But Finnish people are the least effusive people on Earth. Even compared to their neighbours.
I think they want Anthony on the tour more than actually winning the show. He can sing uptempo crowd pleasers and will be hoping he gets people from Liverpool buying tickets.
I can’t quite read bella. They always dress her in these chavvy outfits even while singing a ballad. And she had those lights that talia had in week 1 last year. I think she’d be fine for this week though.
I think it was more about making Louis good than anything else, but yes of course they want him to do well.
Latest YouTube views
Dalton 251,775
Scarlett 162,599
Shan 145,513
Acacia & Saliyah 118,037
Bella 116,779
Brendan 116,478
Anthony 114,515
Giovanni 107,276
Misunderstood 104,551
Danny 86,765
Surprised to see A&A so high.
Don’t think utube views matter that much. Danny will be fine considering most of his votes is the nan vote. Same applies to Anthony. I think we’ll see bio misunderstood and A and A. Think Bella done just enough as well as Brendan to be safe for this week
Ben I think they’ve tested out a bit of a de-ramp on Dalton by giving him songs out of his normal range, or so they would have thought. However, he nailed them anyway. I’m re-watching as I type this and I think I’m right, but I don’t get caught up in the fan stuff any more, I’m just interested in the betting. Think of the stuff you saw him do at the beginning, standard Jamaican stuff, and think of what they’ve thrown at him since. But it’s a matter of opinion, and I’m betting on him anyway.
But if you want to see a real song choice killer, re-watch Danny doing a Celine Dion song, and marvel that the judges said it was the right song choice for him, and it was in the right register. Yes, right if you want him to be kicked out of the competition.
I don’t know what you mean out of his normal range. He’s been doing big-ranged ballads since his audition!
Why do they keep giving him standing ovations if they want to deramp him?
Ben
As I said, it’s a matter of opinion. Obviously not yours. As this is a betting site, I’m giving a betting opinion which I hold to. I’ve aleady said I think he will win, but I am aware of subtle and not so subtle attempts to de-ramp him. Since this year’s series is such a mess, the attempts have been somewhat cack-handed. If you can’t see that they’ve thrown traditionally vote killer songs at him, I’m sorry. I watch X-Factor for the betting. There’s not one act this year that I’d cross the road to see live, including Dalton. I think he should win, but I’m always on the lookout for the obvious de-ramp for a foreign act. You can’t say X-Factor has never tried to de-ramp a foreign act before. But you stick to your opinion – you may well be right, for the first time in X-Factor’s history (iirc).
I’m just asking you to explain your opinion. Claiming he’s been given songs they thought would be out of his range makes absolutely no sense given than he’s done the same sort of songs since day 1. Were they de-ramping him in his audition?
Apart from the weird styling on Fright Night (which could just be put down to the fact they’re all meant to look a bit weird on Fright Night), I don’t see what they’ve done so far to de-ramp him. They’ve pimped him to high heaven after every performance.
Still possible that they might do, to make it feel like more of a competition, but if they wanted him out they’re not trying very hard!
As I said, they’ve been cack-handed at it. You seem to believe that Dalton hasn’t been given any song out of his comfort range. I have said he has dealt well with anything that’s they’ve thrown at him, many of them songs that have de-railed singers in the past. What’s happened is that they’ve under-estimated him – it doesn’t mean they weren’t trying, nor that they might not pull the classic bad news story out of the bag before the final. But your view has as much validity as mine, so let’s see, shall we. I hope you are correct. Just be ready to cover your bets, in case….
Wow just seen the hatchet job done on misunderstood. Poor sods. Glad I got out and recouped my stake weeks ago.
When you think of the way they pushed Rasksu last year and they are throwing these under the bus.
Was interesting that Nile Rodgers basically exposed that they were set up.
They have really fallen from the start of the lives.
Who do you think for bottom and voted off in sing off tonight?
Bottom for me would be Gio
Can see the 2 groups in the bottom 2 with missunderstood going home
Have they really given up on misunderstood that quickly? Their performance was a trainwreck right down to the vocal runs at the end that one of them did to try and save it. And the fact that in the VT they tried to claim misunderstood were behind it (while Nile helpfully corrected them) was just embarrassing.
Dead right Starjey. The whole series has been an embarrassment. The Dalek voices did give me a laugh though. I wonder if they meant to alter the sound more subtly to de-ramp Danny and Anthony, the way sound engineers often do with Blue and other bands that piss them off, but the sliders stuck at number 11.
It’s all over twitter that Misunderstood are gone…
I wonder how that happened?
Misunderstood are wearing a sing-off outfit.
Lol misunderstood r gone. Think they’ll save a and A now for robbies case. Idk who they’ll be up against
Stoney
You got it right. Thankfully I laid them on Betfair. Not a great price, but it’s ok. Whether the signals were intentional or not, it was there for the taking.
Well the leak made me some money at least!
Gutted though – liked them.
I haven’t been watching properly this series but to a bystander just watching now Anthony is standing out. He actually has the stage presence and charisma and something different in his roughness and rawness.
Didn’t really believe Anthony could win until last night. We all agree he isn’t the best singer but last night, he just owned it. So likeable, loving every second and to me it was infectious. Dalton v Anthony final 2. The people’s champion brings it home.
Olly endorses Dalton.
And in typical Olly fashion made a hash of it.
About time Anthony getting some respect on here. Hes the value for sure.
Not getting this likeable vibe off Anthony at all.
Thanks to Dan@tellystats.com for the leak…saved some money,
Gio’s gone.
Bye Gio! I’ll be backing him down to low prices here, there’s no way they want all the groups out and ‘freak show’ Gio is clearly expendable.
Interesting
Do they save robbies final act or their novelty act.
Who’d have though a and A would be an alpha. I think we’ll get a Dalton Shan Anthony and scarlet top 4 for definit with Brendan or Danny in 5th
Losing all the groups is the option that gets them the most headlines. Just saying…
Maybe they’ll want Robbie as a neutral judge when he returns so they can stop the Ayda/Robbie bias controversy.
If A&A get sent packing, there’ll be no reason for Robbie to return after his tour.
A&A not just doing a rap. Judges will say “they proved they have range” and be sent through.
They could also paint them as a more modern and relevant act. I have staked some on Gio going but I would like to see him stay from a personal POV
Such a shame.
Danny will make the final.
Knew they wouldn’t drop two groups in one night but gutted for Gio. The show will miss him. Also sick of A+A tbh. Both their sing off songs have been reprisals. They did that exact performance two weeks ago so god knows what Simon was on about!
A&A are being forced down our throats as a modern and trendy act, they’ll be out next week I imagine.
Bella and Brendan should be worried next week.
The girls were dreadful and dislikeable. Saving them contributes nothing other than saving face for Robbie. They’ll make the final now.
I don’t think they’ll even be able to get there with producers’ help. They are the only act this series to survive consecutive sing-off appearances, this late in the love shows too.
Seems odd that they’ve lost Misunderstood – and judging by their treatment last night it wasn’t exactly unintentional. I wonder – based on Nile’s comments – if something has gone on behind the scenes.
Sounds like there were a few acts close to the bottom so a couple of hatchet jobs could save A and A for another week. Not sure TPTB will be bothered enough to save them though.
Groupthink here on Anthony winning but he has extremely limited dynamic range and has someone in his catagory that is one of the best male singers they’ve had.
He’s a likable bouncy chap but GBP would never drop their fair play so low to let him beat Dalton, let alone the other much better singers.
They’ve done it before. 2009, 2014, 2016 to name a few.
I’m assuming you mean the best singer not winning in those years when you say they’ve done it before?
That’s not the point. Put it this way, name one year when a singer as bad as Anthony has won?
James Arthur
Matt Cardle.
It is all personal opinion though.
True, Arthur is not a great vocalist but Anthony doesn’t have the saviours such as writing or “credibility” or this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QukmpmDFXTw
Cardle was much better even if, to quote Wagner who he almost came to blows with, “he sang like a girl”.
The most important question – who gets “That’s Life” next week?
The way they’ve been toying with us this series, I’d half expect Dalton to be singing it.
James Arthur was great in his year – Antony is nowhere near him!
Any word on who will guest judge next week? Is it Nile again?
Song choices will be interesting. Who will get feeling good I wonder? Dalton? Shan?