The Xtra Factor

20.20, Saturday 22 September 2006, ITV2

Tonight’s The Xtra Factor visits Manchester and London where Ben Shephard has an access all areas pass to the auditions. The show features:

* Kerry, the new Britney Spears
* Last year’s Ceri – with teeth.
* Rapper Shaney D
* Blonde friends Fusion.
* The shortest audition ever.

Lian, 22, from Peterborough is sure she’ll impress the Judges. She’s practiced her routine so she’s sure she’ll wow Louis, Sharon and Simon. She says ‘I’m just so happy. I’m more than nervous. If I get through this I’m going to be speechless. I think I’m going to do it. I really think I am.’

She’s so confident, she walks into her audition singing What A Feeling. Simon stops her. ‘Thank you. No. Thank you very much. Cheers.’ And that’s it! At 21 seconds, it’s the shortest X Factor audition ever.

Lian is devastated. She tells Ben ‘I’ve worked so hard for this, I really thought I was going to get through. I love singing so much and I want it. I didn’t look at the Judges when I first got in there, I just had a glance at them and that was because I was trying to get into the mood of the song. Simon stopped me and came out with no straight away and Sharon and Louise just stood there in silence and I was thinking where’s your answers? I just wish I had asked them why. I wasn’t prepared for that and I wish I had been. I was actually (expecting them to say yes). I know I can sing I just . . I think that Simon needs his ears tested. I’m still trying to get over the shock.’

Kerry, 18 from Grimsby thinks she’s the new Britney Spears. She says ‘I am literally like Britney Spears because I’ve got a voice; I’ve got blonde hair and everything. I just want to be like her. I’ve been singing since I was little and I’ve just got so good. I actually see myself on a great big stage in front of thousands and thousands of my fans singing my own songs. I am here to put Grimsby on the map because I am the new Britney.’

She sings her idol’s I Am A Girl Not A Woman but sadly that’s where the similarity ends. Louis says ‘I don’t know what to say Kerry, it’s just so bad.’ Simon adds ‘Let’s just put it this way Kerry, if she’s had just watched this performance now she would sleep well tonight. You are nothing like Britney Spears.’ Again, Kerry is devastated. ‘They’re smashing dreams in there. That’s what they’re doing – they’re not her to help someone . . .’

The Judges receive a return visit from Ceri, 50 from Wales. She auditioned last year – without teeth. This time round, she’d put them in! She told Ben ‘I hadn’t tried singing with them before.’ She tells the Judges ‘I’ve got teeth in and I want to re-try.’

She sings but Simon says ‘You’ve managed to be even worse than last year Ceri. We’re old friends now, we can be honest with each other. That was just terrible.’ She gets three nos. Sharon admonishes Simon. ‘You could have been a bit nicer Simon. You could have invited her round for a drink, a cup of tea.’

Mark, 42 from Edinburgh is confident. ‘I’ve been compared to looks wise Cliff Richard, voice wise Freddie Mercury and a bit of Bob Marley. His wife Eileen agrees. ‘He’s so good, when he sings Cher he sounds like her.’

He sings Cher’s hit ‘Believe’. Sharon says ‘I liked you Mark. I did.’ But Simon says ‘For me, absolutely never in a billion trillion years.’ And Louis agrees with Simon.

Afterwards he sings Ben’s favourite song Everything Changes by Keane. He reveals that he had a kiss from Sharon and Eileen tells him ‘I’m jealous. I’m going to tell Ozzy.’ Ben suggests that they swap. ‘Oh no’ she says. ‘I don’t think I could swap for Ozzy.’

And the Judges meet Shaney D, 22 from Derby. With his Jamaican style accent and rap voice, he thinks he’s got The X Factor. He asks the Judges if they want him to Freestyle or do a verse. ‘Swearing isn’t allowed is it do it would be better without swearing wouldn’t it?’ He raps and Simon says ‘You remind me of that DJ Westwood. You sound as if you’re from the Bronx but you’re actually from Burton On Trent. You’ve got a fake accent. It’s not from growing up because you didn’t grow up in the Caribbean.’ It’s a no from the Judges.

Afterwards he tells Ben ‘Basically I was a bit gentle on them. I didn’t want to swear or anything. Simon, Sharon, really blatant middle finger. Basically it’s been a good day.’

But it’s not all bad news. Tracey, 23 from Middlesex impresses the Judges with her brilliant attitude. She tells the Judges ‘I’m 23, I’ve got two kids, one of nearly 4 and one of nearly 2. I’m a housewife. I’m just here to give it my heart. I’ve sung from being a little girl and I love singing so much and I thought just go for it. You don’t know until you’ve tried. So here I am.’ She sings I’m In Chains by Tina Arena and Simon says ‘You’re like a good car whose steering has just gone out of control. You know cos you’re all over the bloody place. But somewhere there is a half decent voice. I mean you do not sing as you talk, it’s quite surprising.’

She tells Louis ‘I want this so bad Louis, this would mean so much to me, I just want to be somebody. I want to get somewhere and I’m willing to work so hard.’ Louis says no, but Sharon and Simon both say yes and put her through to Bootcamp.

Afterwards, she tells Ben ‘When I saw Brenda I thought well she’s got two kids. Look how far she’s got. I thought go Tracey, get in there and do it. And here I am. I can’t believe it.’

And group Fusion Lauren and Francesca, both 17 from Kent eventually get the Judges vote. They share the same blonde hairstyle and tell the Judges ‘We’ve grown up together since we were tiny.’ They sing Tell Him by Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion.

Simon says ‘It was so over the top it was almost unbearable. I think there are some half decent voices there somewhere. Do you know anything where we haven’t got scream and shout the song? Here’s what I am going to suggest. Come back in an hour, work something out. Lower the whole pace and just sing.’ Outside Francesca says ‘We are hungry for this, and this is torture. It’s worse than rejection I think cos we’re on a string now.’

They come back and sing This Too Shall Pass by Yolande Adams. Sharon says ‘You’re two young girls and you’re both very talented very beautiful young girls. I’m going to have to say no.’ Simon says ‘Unfortunately I know exactly where Simon is coming from. I’m going to say yes, you’re through to the next round. But stop all these silly hair styles, the curls, the Dolly Parton whatever. But Louis and Paula agree with Simon and Fusion go through to Bootcamp.