X factor news

[Perdita]

Simon Cowell has hinted that Robbie Williams could make a surprise appearance on this weekend's X Factor final.

The judge insisted that it is not too late for the former Take That star to perform on the show, adding that the public are in for a surprise.

"I would love Robbie to be there on Saturday night. And it's never too late," he said. "He's still one of the biggest stars in the world. He's great.

"You might be surprised on Saturday, I wouldnt go along with everything you read!"

Asked whether he thinks Williams should rejoin Take That, Cowell responded: "That's a tricky one, I think I'd keep it as it is. He could do a guest slot now and again."

The X Factor concludes Saturday at 7.10pm and 9.40pm on ITV1.

[Perdita]

Rihanna has reportedly cancelled her plans to appear on this Saturday's X Factor final.

The singer was rumoured to be performing on the show alongside finalists JLS, but is said to have decided to pull out.

JLS will instead be performing with Westlife, who were originally scheduled to sing with Alexandra Burke, according to Heat.

Burke, the bookmakers' favourite to win the competition, will now take to the stage with Beyoncé, while Eoghan Quigg will team up with Boyzone.


This final really does appear to be jinxed

[CrazyLea]

I give up.. I'll just wait til the show. Don't know what to believe.

[Chris_2k11]

ooo Rihanna was gonna be on there??

please say she still is!

[Perdita]

SIMON COWELL has warned it is crunch time on The X Factor — as cutbacks mean the runners-up may not get recording contracts.
The music mogul last night admitted the top prize £1million deal could be all that is on offer this year, adding to the pressure on the finalists to win.

Simon, 49, said: “In the current economic climate it is more important to win the show this year than any other. Like every other business, the record industry is tougher than it was a year ago.”

Boy band JLS, Alexandra Burke and schoolboy Eoghan Quigg will battle it out on the ITV1 talent show tomorrow for the once-in-a-lifetime contract. Simon’s label Syco, a division of Sony BMG, has first refusal on finalists.

Last year winner Leon Jackson plus runner-up Rhydian Roberts and third-placed Same Difference were signed.

In 2006, runner-up Ray Quinn got a deal alongside winner Leona Lewis. But with belts being tightened, nerves were jangling last night as this year’s hopefuls appeared with mentors Simon, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh, plus judge Dannii Minogue.

Simon said: “Cheryl and Gary Barlow have both said for an artist it is the most terrifying show on TV to perform on. The fact these guys come out week after week and turn out these performances is unbelievable.”

Cheryl, who performed on X Factor with her band Girls Aloud this series, added: “It’s the scariest thing I’ve done on TV. It made me think, ‘Wow, how do they do it?’”

Simon also said he was “embarrassed” after details were leaked of the lengthy legal contract finalists have to sign, including clauses banning them from criticising him.

He said: “I wasn’t aware I was one of the clauses. You can’t be horrible about me. That’s probably the most useless clause in the history of contracts, because everybody does talk horribly about me. And you know what? I don’t care.”

As The Sun revealed, the final will feature Alexandra performing with US star Beyonce, JLS with Westlife, and Eoghan with fellow Irishmen Boyzone. The winning act will release a cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah in a bid for the Christmas No1 single.

Simon said: “This is the most exciting final yet. I genuinely can’t call it. That’s what a final should be about, their performance on the night. It will be a right old ding-dong.”

[Perdita]

Dannii Minogue was humiliated yesterday as X Factor supremo Simon Cowell pointedly refused to confirm her future on the show.

When asked if she would return as a judge next year she raised her eyebrows and said: “I don’t know. Ask Simon?”

He looked upwards and – in an obvious attempt to avoid answering – said: “Has anyone looked at the ceiling?”

The singer has talked about how she felt “snubbed” by Simon even before yesterday’s blow to her standing.

Simon said later: “If you had asked me this same thing last year about Sharon Osbourne I would have said I’m assuming it’s going to be the same panel.

“But then you sit down with the lawyers and the agents and the managers get involved, blah blah blah, so you have got to keep an open mind.”

Former judge Sharon, 56, left the show after four series and was replaced by Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole, 25.

An insider said: “It is absolutely clear that Cheryl is now the favourite and Simon is not spending as much time with Dannii Minogue any more.”

Asked if he was surprised by Cheryl’s massive success on the show, Simon said: “If you bring someone on, you don’t bring them on to be unpopular.

“I had to really, really twist Cheryl’s arm because she didn’t know how big she was going to be. I kept saying to her, ‘If you do this, not only is it going to be great for the show, it’s going to be great for you.’ And she has become, well, she must be the most popular person on TV.

“More popular than me now... annoying, but it happens.”

Sources claim Dannii, 36, fears she will be passed over “for a younger model” as Sharon was and will be gone next year.

Simon said: “We are going to sit down with everyone in January and that’s when we will draw up contracts.

“I don’t know what will happen but I would be surprised if it’s a different line-up. And Louis is going to have some work done.”

Louis Walsh, who has recently said he feared his days were numbered, is another clearly feeling insecure about his job.

He replied: “Is that going to be written into the contract too, Simon?

“Well I want to do the gig so I’ll do it. I’ll do anything.”

Louis, the same age as Sharon, has voiced concerns about securing a contract for next year after his rows with Dannii. But Simon, 48, brushed that aside, saying: “Louis hasn’t been horrible to Dannii. They break up and they make up. It’s just one of those things.”

Former host Kate Thornton was dumped with Louis before last year’s X Factor started because bosses feared they were making the show dull.

But Louis was sensationally brought back a couple of weeks into the series. Kate, 35, was the show’s presenter for the first three series but was shocked to be told she would be replaced by Dermot O’Leary.

She had been reassured she would keep her job by Simon, who declared: “Kate’s not leaving.”

Sharon said at the time: “Kate has been publicly humiliated.

“Simon should have been up front and told her. He should have said he didn’t think things were working.

“At least she could then have gone with dignity and her head held high.”

Last night X Factor bosses were frantic after US superstar Rihanna pulled out of Saturday’s live final.

An insider said: “She was scheduled to perform with JLS but now it’s not happening. The band were absolutely gutted, especially since they had been practising her hit Umbrella.”

Simon said: “The line-up for Saturday has changed so much for different reasons now that even I don’t know what’s happening. You will have to wait and see.”

[Bad Wolf]

louis has just been on the phone to radio 1 and told them everything!!!

alexandria will win- she's got beyonce!!

[Siobhan]

to make the boards tidier.. I have merged all the news on X factor here so post anything that is not to do with the live shows.. Thanks

[Bad Wolf]

louis walsh was soooo funny on the chris moyles show this morning- he let slip loads of stuff that he shouldnt!!!

alex will win- she has beyonce in her corner, the egogain and abc have two crap bands who cant get another gig except through louis

i think there is a real danger of them not landing the xmas number 1- leona might just outsell it, unless cowell pulls it off the charts- makes it unavailable. i think thats why they only released it as a digital release, they were worried if it was in shops it might just outsell the winner.


my view- boycott the x factor winner, everyone should buy jeff buckleys version of hallejuia and make that number one!!!!!!

[Perdita]

X FACTOR judge Louis Walsh has slammed last year's X Factor winner, Leon Jackson, saying that "the public got it wrong".

In an interview with Richard Bacon on BBC Radio 5 live, Louis said: “He’s had a chance. The people voted for him and he won last year.

"Rhydian should probably have won. Rhydian is selling a lot more records. Rhydian is more of an artist. Sometimes the people get it wrong.”

Ouch. Louis also had some strong words to say about the possible reunion of Take That and Robbie Williams, saying: “He broke up the band originally. They don’t need him. He’s got his money, he can stay in LA and get all those tattoos, and be very happy.

"They’re doing much better without him. You know what? I reckon he’d probably break up the band if he came back”.

On the subject of this week's X Factor final, Louis believes JLS have every chance of winning the show.

The group caused chaos earlier this week when they performed a live gig in front of thousands of fans, which resulted in some fans being injured and taken to hospital.

Louis said: "Everywhere they go young kids love them, there’s a hysteria, it’s a fantastic launchpad for a new band and this is the new band. Absolutely."

He also confirmed that the acts will be singing Christmas songs on the final.