So it all starts moving quickly now and it’s time for Bootcamp. Did anybody find it hard to keep up with who was going through, I was trying to note down every ones names while watching the show and kept missing people! There where quite a few people who I completely missed like Ryan the soldier, who I thought was going to do really well. I’m made up that Kimberly the Barmaid from Birmingham has got through. I don’t agree with Simon when he said she’s annoying, she’s just a bit hyper but at least she’s not saying the same stuff as everyone else. I loved it when she said, if I don’t get through I’ll just put a fake smile on and say thanks, and then as she came off stage she was saying ‘let me, through, let me through’ and I’m glad she did. Read more & comment »

So I caught most of this weeks auditions, but I was staying in Blackpool and so I only caught bits of the show and from what I did see I was impressed with some really good singers like Sam.

He went to the Newcastle Audition and sang Handbags and Gladrags by the Stereophonics. I like people like Sam because he genuinely didn’t know how good he was and was shocked when the judges like them. It must have made his day that Danni fell in love with his voice! I do hope that Sam goes far in the competition and Domonic who sang Mack the Knife he also surprised me he had a cracking voice on him. Read more & comment »

So watched the repeat this morning at 1.30am! Got to say I like Fearne Cotton on the Xtra Factor, that bit where she pretended to be the producer was really funny, but I didn’t get the joke when she said, “what is small, grey and gets sucked a lot , Louis Walsh!”. I have a slight idea of what she meant, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to tell you what I was thinking!
Anyway lets talk about the auditions this week. Didn’t Leon Jackson the guy who went to the Scotland audition alone, look a bit like Pete Doherty? I think he’ll do well, he’s got a good voice, and he’s going to be well liked by everyone.

My stand out singers this week are Beverley the school teacher from Luton, and Richard Wilkinson the shop assistant. Beverley sang Aretha Franklin’s ‘Think’ and she really went for it and belted it out. Reminded me a bit of Brenda from series 2. Didn’t know what Louis was saying about her being a backing singer because she was great.

Richard had a great voice, Sharon thought it was quite breathy and like a dirty phone call but the other 3 thought he was special. I thought she was right about what she said but you could still hear that he had a good voice in my opinion and hopefully he will prove Sharon wrong at boot camp. Now the groups, the 2 sisters, one husband and another friend who thought that they were going to fly through the auditions were knocked back down to earth by Simon when he told them straight that they weren’t good enough. It was hard for me to watch, because you can see these peoples dreams being shattered, and sometimes Simon doesn’t see how upset people are getting when he says his personal opinion in the way that he does, and it can be a bit too harsh, but that’s Simon for you! Read more & comment »

So I got to watch the X Factor on Saturday Night this week because I had my first Saturday without a show for ages.

Paris was back, if you remember she auditioned last year, and as the judges put her through she told them she couldn’t go through because she was only 14. She’s a year older now and it’s OK for her to enter, I agree with Danni a bit that it’s hard to see her singing the different styles of song every week but she is really talented and determined.

Did you notice nearly all the bad auditions were called John this week? John the window cleaner, John the teacher (who thought Tom Jones couldn’t sing!) and the old John who sang Buddy Holly with a silly dance in his trainers.

While we talk about bad, the girl with the bad attitude and the really bad mouth, Rachel will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. She thought she was better than Madonna and really believed she was god’s gift to singing. All the judges hated her and when she could see it going wrong she started swearing and being really aggressive. I agree with Simon her attitude was awful, and I know why they did show it, but I think they shouldn’t show things like this (even though they always will because it’s good TV) This girl has obviously got some issues, and she needs some help, but I can imagine she is really depressed now and will be having an awful time. Read more & comment »

Many of you will remember young Shaun Rogerson from last years X Factor series. He’s the lad who was so nervous he shook his way through his audition, yet so talented and likeable that Simon Cowell backed him right up to the final stages of bootcamp.

Here’s his first installment….

So this Saturday was the first showing of the X-Factor and there were some very good singers looking to make their dream a reality

Sarah and Sean, these two were brother and sister, and the judges thought they were really annoying, but in the end they put them through because the had some talent. I also thought a couple of the W4 girls were really good looking (and great singers too!) and everyone knows Simon, always got his eyes on the pretty girls

Have you noticed that it’s always the last contestant of the day has an amazing story, and gets a tear in your eye! This week it was Nikki, who’s dad had died and when they collected his things like his pension books they found an X-Factor application form. It was moving but she also sang ‘I will Always Love You’ beautifully and I think she’ll do well in the competition. Read more & comment »

Many of you will remember young Shaun Rogerson from last years X Factor series. He’s the lad who was so nervous he shook his way through his audition, yet so talented and likeable that Simon Cowell backed him right up to the final stages of bootcamp. In fact the X Factor bosses were so impressed with Shaun that he was invited back to perform on the X Factor live final, watch the clip below to see how much he had grown in just a few short months.

Well Shaun has undergone some life coaching and worked on his confidence, and now he’s back! Shaun has released a single and album with more on the way, you can listen to some of the tracks here.

We spoke to Shaun today and he has agreed to write a weekly article for us, covering each X Factor Saturday show. He will reveal who he thinks has the X Factor, and some of what really goes on behind those audition doors.

Unreality TV would like to welcome Shaun on board! You can expect to read his first installment here this Monday!

In the first show of the X Factor series we see highlights from the Manchester and London auditions, including this years open day at Old Trafford where a record breaking 17,000 people turned up to try and impress the judges. And if the first day in Manchester is anything to go by, with arguing mother-in-laws, Madonna wannabes, and set destroying dance moves it is going to be a long stretch for our judges!

First in the audition room is 40 yr old landscape gardener Tim who believes he has not only the voice to impress the judges but also the moves – he’s been practising his routine for the last 6 months with huge encouragement from his long term partner Debbie. Unfortunately for Tim Simon is less than impressed, “I’ve go absolutely no idea why you had any encouragement whatsoever. It is about as bad as it can possibly get�.

Next up is 16 yr old student Shaun Rogerson, who has a slight problem overcoming his nerves, he stumbles over his words and stops half way through his audition visibly shaking, with the judges taking pity on him Sharon suggests that he takes a break and comes back later when he has calmed down. But will his nerves get the better of him, or will he be able to impress the judges second time around?

At the London auditions Simon has a surprise for Sharon and Louis, in the form of the fourth judge, with Simon believing that when they see who it is “they are going to have to raise their game, in fact I will have to raise my game�. And arriving six hours later than expected, in walks guest judge Paula Abdul, much to the delight of Sharon who is thrilled to have a fellow female on the panel.

54 yr old Donna believes she has the potential to be the next international superstar just like Madonna. Singing Madonna’s hit “Like a Prayer�, she is “praying� that she will impress the judges enough to make it through to the Bootcamp, but Simon is less than impressed “amazingly we’ve missed off the first part of your name, mad Donna�.

But there are some treats in for the judges and some acts do appear to have what the judges are looking for. First through to Bootcamp are three sisters Karen Claudia and Natasha otherwise known as Pure Liberty who at last bring a smile to the judges faces especially Paula’s, “I adore you guys you’re so much fun and so talented�.

It doesn’t stop there with more “yes’s� from the judges coming for 21 yr old receptionist Leona, who impresses Simon so much he gives a rare comment of praise, “Absolutely fantastic a great audition�. And six piece harmony group The Unconventionals really make the judges day, despite Simon first thinking he was going to hate them, after their performance he declares that “we could bottle you lot and sell you because you have made every single person in this room smile�.

But the flow of positivity is shattered when 31 yr old Michael Jackson fan Onkar Judge walks into the room, after almost destroying the set with his dance moves and hurting the judges ears from his high pitched singing the judges are unanimous that it is one of the worst auditions they have seen so far. But Onkar doesn’t take it lying down shouting “Don’t judge the judge please because there is only one Judge, and that’s me, Onkar Judge�

But it is the final act of the episode that has Sharon and Louis in stitches, and all at Simon’s expense. Choir singer Lorraine, 52, from Manchester takes in some addition protection in the audition, in the form of her mother-in-law 86 yr old Edna! But when Simon laughs at Lorraine’s audition Edna is less than happy. “You laughed, you need to alter your ways Simon�, a sheepish Simon apologises and looks visibly embarrassed, but Edna doesn’t stop there, “you think you’re better than everyone, but I think you are ignorant, yes you were very ignorant Simon�. After apologising again and saying sorry to Edna, a word that rarely leaves Simon’s mouth, he leaves the audition room commenting “I have never been so humiliated in my life�.

Switch over to The Xtra Factor on ITV2 to see more exclusive auditions with Ben Shephard, including this week, 72 yr old Brian, who has a unique health tip to keep you looking young, by inserting raw cloves of garlic up his bum! Brian has been placing 2 or 3 cloves there for the last 19 years, which by our calculations means he has gone through over 70,000 cloves of garlic…! And 50 cent fan Marissa astonishes Ben with her own very crude rap song.