Why Shayne? Why choose a song by The Darkness?

Don’t get me wrong, you sang it well. Note perfect, all the falsetto squeals in all the right places. But did you perform it? No. You dandered around the stage like you were out for a stroll. Slapped hands with the audience a bit, ambled about the stage a bit more.

Now I’m not a great singer (but those who can’t do, criticise), but when I hear the crunch of that first power chord in I Believe In A Thing Called Love, I want to leap around like a maniac from start to finish. Then I put the song back to the start and do it all over again.

The Darkness are a distinctive band. Look at Justin Hawkins, for God’s sake. Two words, Shayne: STAGE PRESENCE.

The singing was great. Unfortunately I had my eyes open. If I’d been watching that performance with the sound switched off, I’d never in a million years have guessed Shayne was singing a rock song.

And the judges. Don’t mislead the fella. He’ll sell records on his looks and possibly his vocals. It won’t be Shayne’s captivating performances or his magnetic personality. It’s a foregone conclusion that Shayne Ward will have a record deal after X Factor, but he’s got a lot to learn about star quality. In my opinion.