The X Factor

Bootcamp episode 7 and 8

2 x 60 min eps both TX 30th Sept

Ep 1, 5.55pm covers the first day at each of the three Bootcamps

Ep 2, 8.10pm covers the second day of Bootcamp.

Tonight’s shows follow the Bootcamp stage of The X Factor and the competition is really hotting up as 180 acts vie for only 21, or if Simon has his way with producers 24 places to get through to the next stage of the competition.

Simon, accompanied by pop singer Sinitta is looking after the 16 – 24’s at historic country house, Avington Park in Winchester; Louis, looking after the Groups category is joined by Westlife star Kian Egan and vocal coach Yvie Burnett at Essex theatre The Broadway; and Sharon will preside over the Over 25s category along with vocal coach Mark Hudson and Record Company Executive Adrian Williams at Soho nightclub Too2Much.

The first show of the evening covers the first day of Bootcamp and sees the nervous contestants meeting their respective judges for the first time, and for some it is not good news.

Not everyone is delighted when they see their mentor

19 year old Rudi, who first auditioned in Dublin when Sharon was absent didn’t make it through, only to return at the Glasgow auditions to get a yes from Sharon and Louis, but an adamant second no from Simon. So he is less than impressed when he see’s that Simon will be mentoring the 16 – 24 category, “It is the Judge I wanted the least and it means I am going to have to work harder to try and impress him�.

And Louis No1 fan Vicky Robinson is left distraught when she sees Simon, “t would have made my year Louis had been my mentor, I don’t think I stand a chance with Simon�.

Has Simon bitten off more than he can chew with the 16-24s?

But despite the majority of the acts being delighted to see Simon, the first day of Bootcamp does not go to the plan Simon was hoping. “This is a disaster so far, I thought we would walk it with this category this year but I think we have been left with the short straw�. Even 20 year old Ashley, who had blown Simon away in his first audition with Simon commenting “You are one of the best acts we have ever had on this show�, fails to impress Simon as he comments to Sinitta, “have you ever backed a winning horse in the grand national only to find them fall at the first fence.�

So Simon takes matters into his own hands and goes down to give the remaining acts a “pep talk�, “You have to come in believing you can win, most of you I have seen so far today have come in like you are half dead, and the bad news is that I am going to double up on the number of people I am sending home at the end of today as a consequence. I was going to keep more but after this morning I have changed my mind, so if you haven’t got it you might as well go home.�

Doing it for the children

After Simon’s stern words all the 16-24’s are feeling the tension, knowing they have just a small amount of time to make a big impression. One contestant really hoping to shine is 22 year old mother of two Sam Elphick. Sam put her singing career on hold to bring up her two young children and she is hoping today will be her moment to shine, “I just need to do it, my kids have made me so determined and it will benefit them so much if I can make it through�, but after coming out of her first audition feeling she has let herself down, has she done enough to impress Simon?

There’s love rivalry but Shaun’s still nervous

Two people in perfect harmony are couple Gemma And Joseph, who both auditioned at Newcastle and are now competing against each other to get one of the few places to come back to the second day of Bootcamp. Will they both hit the high notes together or will one be left alone?

And 16 year old Shaun, who suffered so badly from his nerves in the first audition is even more nervous this time around as he has to face Simon who gave him a no in his first audition. Will Shaun’s nerves hold out to impress Simon enough to make it through to day two?

With 81 acts and only 30 contestants going through to day two there are 51 hearts broken by Simon and 30 acts one step nearer to stardom.

Louis is not a happy man

Over in Barking, Louis is not happy on the way to his first day of the Groups Bootcamp “I am dreading today, I have got the worst category but it is my job to make the most of it, and I am determined to do that�.

And rather like Simon’s first day, it is a bad start and Louis fears are becoming a reality as group after group fails to deliver the goods. Louis Yvie and Kian are feeling the pain, “I saw no star acts there, it is not looking good, we better hope the afternoon improves�.

Brothers in Arms

Back in the holding room everyone is feeling the pressure, and for one group the feeling is all too familiar, last year boy band, The Brothers, narrowly missed out on a place in the live finals, but determined not to give up they retuned this year and after getting through the first audition they couldn’t be tighter. But since then relationships in the group have collapsed after one of the brothers, CJ, chose to go on holiday, rather than rehearse leaving them totally unprepared and no longer on speaking terms. CJ claims “we all need time out and I needed a holiday and I wasn’t prepared to be given ultimatums� so the boys step up in front of Louis thinking they may go home before even singing a word. But after explaining the situation to Louis he agrees to see them as two separate groups, but it still doesn’t stop the boys arguing backstage. And with them now auditioning as two duets, will they have what it takes to make it through, or have they all blown their chances of fame?

Louis does a U-turn

With the mood picking up with the acts and the quality improving Louis is left decidedly smug at the end of day one “I thought this was going to be the hardest job of our lives but I actually think we have a really strong category now� with Kian quipping, “you could even win again this year Louis!�.

But with 32 groups and only 16 places left in the second day of Bootcamp it is in the hands of Louis as to whose dreams will go on to live another day.

Sharon’s out to win

In Soho Sharon, joined by Mark Hudson and Adrian Williamson, offers some words of advice to her category: “You are all over 25 and you may never get this chance again. So impress me, do not waste it. Don’t blow it guys, because you know what, I want to win this year!�.

Doing it for his Mum

26 year old Jonathan Bremner has always dreamed of being a star, but it is a world away from his normal life where he is a full time carer for his Mum “My normal day involves waking up taking my Mum out to the shops and to her hospital and doctor appointments, although she still tells me what to do! But she is really proud of me being here today, in fact she wouldn’t want me to be anywhere else�.

And for some this really is their last chance. And for 47 year old Roxanne it is a chance she never thought she would have, after being injured in a car bomb accident in Ireland at the age of 14 “somebody out there robbed me of a singing career, and now I hope I am going to get it back again�, but with 60 acts competing for 16 places, will she have what it takes to impress Sharon and the panel?

Show 2/Day 2

Emotions run high as the Finals are within the grasp of our remaining hopefuls as they enter the last day of Bootcamp.

After the judges set one more challenge to each of the acts it is down to them and their teams to make their final decision about who to take through to the following week’s ‘Judges Houses’ stage and ultimately the live studio shows.

The contestants are up all night practising, except for one act

After the overnight challenge most of the acts have had very little sleep after spending all night rehearsing for their last chance in front of the judges. All acts that is except for the Neroni Brothers, who despite Louis questioning their commitment after the group splitting up the day before, decide they don’t need to practice and have an early night instead. But will they live to regret that decision as they face Louis?

Simon regrets his final choices

After another frustrating day in Simon’s Bootcamp, “My problem is that the people I really rated yesterday have all screwed up today�, he finally comes to a decision on the final seven acts he wants to take through to the next stages of the show. After shattering the dreams of eight acts, Simon suddenly has a change of heart and instantly regrets one of his choices, “Sinitta we’ve made a mistake, there’s one act we should have put through�. After a meeting with producers Simon persuades them to let him take eight, rather than seven acts through to the next stage, giving one distraught act a once in a lifetime life line, much to their shock and delight.

The groups are going from strength to strength

The groups have woken up raring to go and there is an air of confidence amongst some of them. Boyband 4Sure feel they have done everything they can, “we are quietly confident and we are going to give it our best shot�.

And twin act Identical have been up all night practising their dance moves in a bid to impress Louis, “Louis said yesterday our dancing was too childlike, so we’ve put together a sexy dance routine for him, but it’s not pornographic or anything!�. And as one of the girls have a broken collarbone, lets hope they are up for it.

It’s getting emotional in the Over’s category

For some in Sharon’s category this really is last chance saloon, after trying to fulfil their ambitions for years of becoming stars, many of them see this as their last opportunity to make it.

And for one contestant in particular the strain is beginning to show. 44 year old Katie Angus has been working at the same factory for over 20 years but has always dreamed of being a singer and she can’t quite believe she has made it so far in the competition, “I can’t understand why I’ve got this far, I really don’t feel I deserve it but I am just so grateful that Sharon has seen something in me and thinks that much of me to of put me through to the second day. This is such a massive deal for someone like me�.

And for hospital worker Robert he hopes this is an opportunity to turn his dreams into a reality. But after forgetting his song lyrics he is devastated to think they he may have blown his one opportunity.

But which weight acts will each of the judges chose to take through to the next round of the competition? Tensions mount and hearts are shattered as the Judges give their final verdicts.