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.

You can’t help feel for the girls who lost it on stage, one girl sang ‘Torn’ and completely lost it. Sharon said it was dreadful, but it was total pressure, she didn’t want to mess up, and I thought it was a bit unfair because she was devastated back stage. I know you could say that they would need to perform week in week out on the live shows, but I don’t see the harm in giving someone ten minutes to get together and try again, like Sharon did for me when I first auditioned.

Emily struggled with her song, but they put her through, and you could see how relieved she was because she knew she didn’t do well, but no Paris, I think a few will be surprised she’s not going to be there, but I’m sure she’ll work hard with her opera singing and she’ll make it onto a big stage one day. The other 14 year old is Luke, and a few people have been saying he reminds them of me! Probably because he cries a lot, but he seems like a good lad and he may have the public behind him. If he does make the final 12 it will be interesting to see how far he gets. The other lad who stands out in the under 25’s boys is Andy from Newport in Wales. He’s got a great voice and I think he’s got to be one of the favourites (watch him get knocked out now I’ve said that!)

Over 25’s look interesting, especially because Louis didn’t want to get them! I couldn’t believe he walked in the room and looked so upset, then when Icaro asked if he could say something he said ‘No’. Icaro is the Chico of the year, how many times did he dive on to the floor when he got through, he must have hurt himself! Bit surprised the school assistant didn’t get through, but Beverley the school teacher is looking good even though Simon said she picked the wrong song. I thought Niki Evans had blown it but they put her through.

So now the groups, a couple of weeks ago I was going to put in the blog that I thought Simon would get the Groups this year and I think he’ll win, but I took it out in case I got it wrong, and guess what, he’s got the groups and is being tipped as the favourite. The group that looks interesting is the lads who don’t look like a group, I hope they do well, and it’s not like the Unconventionals who got voted out on week one last year after having to sing ‘Blame it on the Boogie’ The 2 newly formed groups will probably do well, I think it’s OK for them all to have another try, and it will be interesting to see if they all get on!

I’m still busy, this weekend judging some singers and signing a few autographs for the Carphone Warehouse the sponsors of the X Factor, which was funny because on the cards they spelt my name ‘Shawn’. I’m back over to Ireland in a couple of weeks to work on my songs, I hope you’ll be able to hear them soon and hopefully you’ll like them!

See you next week

Shawn!

This article was written by former X Factor bootcamper, Shaun Rogerson.

Find out more about what Shaun is up to at

www.myspace.com/shaunofficial

www.shaunofficial.com