X Factor episodes 9 and 10 Judges Houses

Saturday 7th October

1st episode 6.10pm and the 2nd at 8.30pm

The Judges Make Their Final Decisions

Show one

The X Factor – the UK’s biggest ever talent search – continues this week as the judges invite the contestants and the cameras away as they make their final decisions.

Simon has taken his finalists to a luxurious house in Miami where they enjoy the sun and the sea. But will his eight acts be able to take the heat and impress him enough to earn a place in the finals? He and Sinitta have difficult decisions to make.

Sharon takes her final eight acts to five star hotel The Dorchester in London where they perform in front of her panel – record company executive Adrian Williams and vocal coach Mark Hudson. Will the five star luxury of the Hotel distract them as they perform for one last time?

And Louis’ finalists go to Dromoland Castle in his native Ireland where they have to impress him, Westlife singer Kian Egan and vocal coach Yvie Burnett. But will they have the luck of the Irish to impress them enough to get put through to the live shows?

The competition between the Judges heats up

After getting on famously during the audition shows the competition for between the Judges is really heating up and Simon and Louis are confident this year they have the winning category: Simon says “I am cautiously optimistic with my category and this is where the competition starts between the three of us.� And there is fighting talk from Louis, “I want to win the competition again this year and I think with the eight acts I have, as long as they raise their game, I think I could do it.�

Sharon however is more cautious, “I feel I’ve got a tough act to follow after last year and I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it this year.�

It’s a family affair

For Katie and Nikitta Angus, Aunt and Niece the competition has become a real family affair. 17 year old Nikitta says, “It is just really weird, neither of us know what is happening and how the other is getting on� and Aunt Katie comments “It would be amazing if we could both make it through to the live shows, it really would be phenomenal.�

Sharon’s acts are up first

Sharon has the daunting task of reducing her eight to four final acts, and for all the contestants they each have their own reason for wanting to get through.

Ben Mills, 26 from Kent says of potentially getting through to the live shows. “If I was to go through it would be an emotion I’ve not experienced before.�

For Katie Angus, 44 from Glasgow this has been a really emotional journey as she has never felt she has deserved her place in the competition because of her lack of confidence, “I just want to make a decent living for myself and get out of working in factories which is what I have been doing since I was 16.� But during Katie’s performance she forgets her words and although she struggles through with the song will it be enough to get her in the final four?

26 year old Jonathan Bremner is determined to get through to the live shows for his Mum, who he cares for full time, “For my Mum it would mean everything and I think it would mean almost as much to her, if not more, than it does to me.�

Hospital worker Robert All, 27 from London thought he had blown his chances at Bootcamp after messing up on the final song so he is out to,�prove that Sharon was right to give me a second chance. This is my time and it is what I have always wanted to do, I am going to rock for Sharon today and I just hope it will be enough to get me through.�

Berkley College of Music student, Tiwa Savage, 26 wants to “Give a performance so hot that when I walk out the room they all say ‘she has to be in the final four’, that’s my dream.�

Oldest contestant of the competition 62 year old Lyn Fairbanks says “If I got through to the live shows it would b a shot in the arm for OAPs everywhere.�

It has been a rollercoaster ride for Dionne Mitchell, 26 from London, “I have found the whole process so hard, but deep down underneath the nerves I know in myself that I can do it.� But when she goes to perform to Sharon her nerves get the better of her and Dionne blanks, Sharon suggests she takes a 10 minute break and comes back, but will her nerves hold out and will she be able to pull herself together in time?

Last up to perform for Sharon is 31 year old single mum Kerry McGregor from Glasgow who is determined to get through to the live shows for her Mum. “I feel very proud to be here, but I don’t think anyone will be more proud than my Mum will be now. She has been my backbone and my strength and sat by my bed 24/7 in hospital when I broke my back, I couldn’t live without her and I really think she deserves to see me have some success because we have had a really rough deal in life. And even if I do have to go back to my old life this experience has changed me for the better and I hope I continue to grow.�

The groups battle it out and there is a clash of the boy bands and brothers

First up to see Louis, Kian and Yvie Burnett are The Brothers who have had a monumental journey after originally auditioning as a four-piece only for the group to fall apart at the Bootcamp. “This is the new Brothers� say Noel Agyei, “the old line up is in the past, the argument has meant we are no longer speaking to the Neroni brothers and it has been all been really emotional for us, but we feel stronger on our own and this is our chance to try and make it through to the live shows and Mark and I both feel we are much stronger on our own.�

The second set of brothers up to audition for Louis are The MacDonald Brothers, Brian and Craig from Ayrshire. “Singing together as brothers is great because you get the support from one another, and we know each others strengths and weaknesses. We really want to get through for Scotland, it would mean so much to everyone back in Ayrshire.�

Another family affair, is sister trio Pure Liberty, Karen, Natasha and Claudia from London, and for the girls they want to do it for their families, “We’ve all got children and they want it so much for us, but we can only do our best for them.�

The only girl group left in the competition, The Dolly Rockers (Lucy Kay, 19, Sphia King 17 and Brooke Challinor 18) are determined to do it for the girls and get through to the live stages, “We are the only girl group left and although we know we are not the strongest act here we have improved so much and we really want to make Louis proud.�

And six unlikely friends who have come so far and are in touching distance of realising their dreams are The Unconventionals, (Nicola Dawn 33, Andrew Newey 38, Lucy Newton 25, Tom Newman 39 , Elizabeth Ewing 37 and Drew Jaymson 41). “This morning we all felt sick realising the enormity of today and knowing that we have just one performance to prove ourselves and make all of our families proud,� says Drew.

The last three acts up to perform for Louis are the three boy bands left in the competition, vocal harmony group 4Sure, Avenue and Eton Road but which of the acts have what it takes to impress Louis and his panel enough to get through?

4Sure, (Donovan Bailey 38, Kriss Jones 24, Jermaine Sanderson 23, Andrew Fisher 30) are trying not to let the high standard of the other groups get to them, Donovan says, “We’ve tried to concentrate on our own singing as it is so easy to start comparing yourself to the other acts, but we’ll do what we do and it’s down to Louis at the end of the day.� Chris adds, “As a group we got together as a bit of a coincidence but now it feel like fate is on our side and this is our destiny.�

Avenue boys, (Jamie Tinkler 25, Jonny Lloyd 25, Ross Candy 18, Scott Clarke 21 and Max George 17) are hoping to be the new Take That and bring Pop music back in to the charts, Jamie says, “there are not many boy bands in the charts at the moment and we want to rectify that and we think we have something really different to offer,� and Jonny adds, “the competition is really fierce though so we just want to go in there and give it our best and hopefully Louis will see our potential.�

And last in to face Louis and the panel are Liverpool boy band Eton Road (Daniel Morris 17, Anthony Hannah 17, Daniel Morris 17, James Edwards 20). “As a group we’ve come so far we feel like brothers now. We’re just normal kids from Liverpool with a dream,� says Anthony.

Simon’s acts face the music and one act clashes with Simon before he even performs

Simon has chosen one song for each of his acts to perform that he thinks will both challenge them and show off their potential.

First up to face Simon and Sinitta is 18 year old Raymond Quinn from Liverpool whose dream is to be as big as Robbie Williams, and after initially getting a no from Simon in the Bootcamp stages he feels he has more to prove to his mentor than most, “today I can’t let Simon down because I wan to prove to him that he was right to put me through.�

One girl that has had more transformations than most in the competition is 22 year old Stacey Barnes from Wakefield. “Simon hated my image at the first audition so I turned up at Bootcamp with a whole new look but that still didn’t impress Simon, so with another new hairstyle and a change off look I’m hoping he will like me this time.�

Next to perform is 20 year old Ashley Mackenzie from London, but he is not happy with the song Simon has chosen for him, “I hate the song I have, it is a George Michael track, and no offence to George Michael but I hate it. It is a hard song to sing and I think I am going to end up blowing my audition. I am not happy that Simon has given me this track.�

And Ashley annoyance is obvious to Simon, who pulls Ashley aside before he even performs, “What is going on with you today, your language and attitude is all wrong, you’ve walked in like a loser.� And after Ashley performs Simon is less than impressed with his whole attitude, “Every bone in my body is telling me that this boy could be a problem. Do we risk putting him through to the live shows?�

Next in is one of the most nervous contestants though to this stage of the competition 16 year old Shaun Rogerson from Wigan. “I want to prove to myself, everyone out there and Simon that I can do it. I know I have not got through a full song yet or proved my potential but hopefully I can prove to Simon that I do have what it takes and that I do deserve to be here.�

After his performance, when he does mange to get through a full song for the first time, Simon comments that “although he’s one of the weakest singers left he is the one I find myself rooting for.�

One contestant that is very sure she has everything Simon is looking for in a finalist is 23 year old Gemma Sampson from Slough, “I am feeling very confident in my abilities. At the end of the day I feel I have done everything I can and now it is down to Simon.�

21 year old receptionist Leona Lewis is doing this to “make my family proud, it would mean so much to me to get through as this is all I have ever wanted to do.�

And for 19 year old Carlo Muscatelli from Liverpool coming to Miami and taking part in the competition is a world away form his normal life back at home, “I spend most of my days going into schools and teaching sports, so to be out here is just amazing.�

Last up to face Simon is 17 year old Nikitta Angus from Glasgow, who lost her Mum to cancer a year ago, is finding the experience emotionally hard, “It is hard not to be able to phone my Mum and tell her all about how amazing Miami is. But I know that she is always here with me and along every step of the journey, I wish she was alive to see me progress and I am determined to win for her.�

Show two

It’s the final stages of the audition rounds of the series and the Judges and their panels have difficult decisions to make.

Tensions are running high as the finalists wait. Have they done enough to convince the judges that they can win the contest? For some the adventure is just beginning but for others the journey stops here.

After the judges have made their decisions, the contestants must return home and tell their friends and family how they’ve got on. But will the champagne corks pop in congratulation or commiseration?

But just as it looks like the final 12 acts have been decided drama unfolds as Producers find out that one act has been lying to them and their position in the live shows is put in jeopardy. Will they be kicked out of the competition and if they are, who will take their place in the live stages? Tune in to find out as our cameras follow every step of the way as for 12 lucky acts the dream starts here.