X Factor 2011 (UK show)

[megan999]

X FACTOR bosses have quietly dropped the claim that their winner will bag a "million-pound contract" after leaks revealed the act would need to shift FOUR albums to hit seven figures.
According to the contract that all this year's finalists have been asked to sign, the winner will get an advance of just £150,000 for their first album.

They will then get up to £237,500 for their second, £315,000 for their third and £400,000 for a fourth. Yet acts such as Joe McElderry and Leon Jackson were dropped after only ONE.

Last year's winner Matt Cardle admitted: "I got an advance to keep me housed and fed while making my album. The million pound thing — that's just for TV."

The water-tight deals with show guru Simon Cowell's record label Syco also set up a sliding scale of smaller pay days for runners up. Whoever comes second could get a £260,000 advance for a fourth album while for the third-placed act — which last year was One Direction — the figure is £187,000.
All the stars then get 15 per cent of sales as a royalty payment — slashed to half if Syco spends more than £50,000 promoting them on TV.

X Factor had always billed the winner's prize as a "£1million recording contract" but is understood to have dropped this in 2009. Wannabes are sworn to secrecy and only now have the full details of the deals emerged.
A show source said: "The bottom line is that unless you have hit album after hit album you will never get anywhere near the £1million from selling records. But it's still a hugely lucrative show."

Stars can get up to £700 a day on the X Factor tour plus a £10,000 bonus with appearances — if enough tickets are sold. A greatest hits album could earn them up to £200,000 more.
Last night a spokesman for Syco said: "The X Factor provides a huge platform for earning potential for both the winner and finalists. It is estimated finalists have collectively earned an estimated £60million in the past few years alone including from record deals, endorsements and public appearances."
Leona Lewis is responsible for the lion's share of that having banked more than £20million.
Source: The Sun Online, 19/10/11

[Perdita]

Johnny Robinson will be performing a Darkness song on this week's X Factor.

The 45-year-old singer, who is mentored by Louis Walsh, will attempt to win over the rival judges with his rendition of 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love', reports The Sun.

Gary Barlow has been highly critical of Walsh and Robinson so far in the competition, accusing the Irish judge of turning Robinson into a "pantomime dame".

However, the Harrow act told Digital Spy at the weekend that he wasn't concerned about Barlow's criticism.

"I love Gary. But I just want to bring a bit of fun to Saturday nights," he said. "That's what Saturday night TV used to be about when I was a kid. TV shows like Dame Edna and Hinge and Bracket. I just want to give everyone a good time each week."

Robinson was originally going to perform Abba's 'Winner Takes It All' as part of Heroes week, but due to a last minute theme week change from production, he has been forced to switch songs.

[megan999]

Johnny was my favourite last night Totally smashed it!

[tammyy2j]

Johnny was my favourite last night Totally smashed it!

I thought they were all awful myself

[Perdita]

I thought they were all awful myself

Thank you, I thought I was the only one

[Chloe O'brien]

The only act I like is Craig. The rest are just a waste of space. This year is worse than others as there are four acts who are just there for the fame and are right pains in the butt. Kitty, Johnny, Misha B and Frankie. But I have a horrible feeling that other talented acts will suffer because of their greed to steal the limelight.

[alan45]

has become the sixth act to leave this year's series of The X Factor

The 31-year-old was eliminated from the competition after viewers voted her into the bottom two along with Kitty Brucknell. Both acts are mentored by veteran judge Louis Walsh.




In the sing-off, Brookes performed '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman' by Aretha Franklin, as Brucknell reprised her original audition song, Lady GaGa's 'The Edge Of Glory'.

Host Dermot O'Leary then threw voting over to the panel, asking Gary Barlow to make the first decision.

"This is tough," he declared. "Sami, that voice is undeniable, but I've always found you a little bit dated. Kitty, I'm a fan of yours. I'm excited by you."

He finally opted to send Brookes home, as did Kelly Rowland, who described Brucknell as a "wonderful entertainer".

Tulisa Contostavlos was next, first stating that both gave "amazing performances" in the sing-off, before explaining that Brookes was the person she "most connect[ed] with on stage" and that she would have to eliminate Brucknell.

In a surprise turn, Walsh then declined to send the vote to deadlock, instead naming Brookes as the act of his that would be sent home.

He cited Brucknell's "work ethic" when making his decision, but warned that she would have to do a better job "connecting with the public".

Speaking after the result, Brookes said: "This experience has just been amazing. I may not be able to sell a million albums as Gary said, but I am going to sing for the rest of my life."

Tulisa Contostavlos last week became the first judge to lose an act through the public vote when boyband Nu Vibe were eliminated over Frankie Cocozza.

[thestud2k7]

LOUIS Walsh is facing the axe from X Factor — in a shake-up that could see Simon Cowell return.

Judge Louis, 59, was forced into a humiliating apology live on air last night after branding 19-year-old wannabe Misha Bryan a bully.

Bosses also blame Cowell's switch to US X Factor for a fall in viewing figures. A massive 2.5 million fans have turned off X Factor during the current series — and ITV executives have begged Simon, 52, to return.

Last night Simon said cryptically: "I'm flattered that people are missing me — but I don't want anyone to miss the show."

Insiders suggested Simon could replace Louis next year, when the show will be in its ninth year.

A well-placed source said: "It doesn't take a genius to work out that Simon not being on has hit the ratings.

"ITV are happy with the panel. They think they're great. But they realise when it comes to X Factor judges, there isn't anyone like Simon. He IS X Factor.

"Simon has a lot on his plate in America with the US X Factor but he has not ruled out a return.

"The likelihood is that Louis will be gone next year — and Simon could make a welcome return."

In the event that Louis goes but Cowell cannot return, the search will be on be on for a "Simon Mk2" to appear alongside Gary Barlow.

Louis was dumped briefly in 2007 and replaced by choreographer Brian Friedman — before Cowell rehired him.

ITV said: "The show remains the most popular entertainment programme and this is the second most popular series in its eight-year history."

source: The Sun

[tammyy2j]

I think the show hasnt been about talent for the last 2 or 3 years

[thestud2k7]

SEETHING X Factor judge Kelly Rowland was AWOL last night — after jetting back to the USA.

The Destiny's Child star, 30, deserted her acts — including hot favourite Misha B — after her TV bust-up with fellow judge Tulisa Contostavlos, 23.

A worried ITV1 source admitted yesterday: "We don't know where she is."

Show sources accused her of leaving the wannabes she is supposed to be mentoring "in the lurch" after throwing her toys out of the pram.

Her flight home came hours after Sunday's tense show — in which she refused to speak to fellow judge Tulisa Contostavlos or even LOOK at the N-Dubz star

The pair spectacularly fell out the previous night as millions of Saturday viewers saw Kelly's 19-year-old protege Misha Bryan branded a "bully" live on TV.

Yesterday the very girl Kelly defended was among acts to find themselves deserted — as the judge left Britain's top telly show clueless about her whereabouts.

An insider said: "If I was one of them I'd be thinking, 'Great ... thanks'. As the contest heats up, she's left them in the lurch all week. It's very arrogant."

The others Kelly is meant to be coaching are Sophie Habibis, 19, and Janet Devlin, 16. X Factor bosses were praying the mentor — thought to be in Los Angeles — returns in time for next weekend's shows

Tulisa was described as "baffled" by the rumpus — since it was not even her who used the word "bullying" about Misha's off-screen attitude to a fellow contestant.


That remark came from Louis Walsh — who 24 hours later on Sunday's show apologised live on air.

Tulisa DID say Misha had made "mean comments". But a pal said: "She was expecting to bury the hatchet with Kelly on Sunday night. Kelly was having none of it.

"She had a major sense-of-humour failure — and was trying to suggest Tulisa was deliberately trying to destabilise her."

The chum added: "She's not going to go crawling to Kelly. Tulisa is too stubborn for that — and who could blame her?"

Source: The Sun