This week the Judges move north in their search for the UK’s best singing talent in The X Factor. It’s week three of the audition tour and Louis, Sharon and Simon visit Newcastle and Glasgow. They found last year’s trip to Scotland disappointing so will this year’s talent fare any better?

Saturday’s show includes:

* Sharon blasting Simon’s professionalism
* A factory worker’s last chance
* Some hilarious duos – Identical and Twice As Nice
* A return contestant from last year
* And a fork lift truck driver called Champagne!

The Scottish lads are using any trick in the book to get past the Judges and some of them think they’ve identified Sharon’s Achilles heel. Alan, a 29 year old engineer from West Dumbartonshire sings My Girl by The Temptations but not before revealing that he’s wearing nothing under his designer kilt. He says ‘I’ve hired the kilt especially for today. I’m hoping it’s going to swing Sharon’s vote in my favour. I don’t wear anything underneath but it’s quite comfortable. A true Scotsman.’ But it’s not looks alone that help Alan through. He has a beautiful voice and all three Judges put him through to the Bootcamp stage.

But it’s not all good news in Glasgow. 17 year old Michael from Glasgow promises that he could be big in the music industry. ‘I’ve got the image, I’ve got the voice. I’ve got everything. In five year’s time I could have multi platinum selling albums.’ But nerves get the better of him and he forgets the words to his audition song eventually giving a painful rendition of Will Young’s Leave Right Now – before the Judges telling him he should do just that and show him the door.

The Judges, frustrated at the lack of talent, give the awaiting contestants a pep talk. Simon says ‘We’ve had a horrendous day. Nobody has come even close to winning the show so far – not a single star.’ And Sharon adds ‘We want to see star quality, you’ve got to have a presence. Don’t come in unless you’ve prepared.’

Things pick up and factory worker Katie, 44 from Glasgow wows the Judges. At her own admission she says that she’s entered the competition through ‘desperation’. ‘I just think at my age it’s my only chance’ she continues. Louis isn’t keen but Simon says ‘the point of having no age limit on this show was always to give people of your age or older a second chance. I thought (the way you sang) was exceptional’ and to Katie’s amazement and delight he puts her through.

Twins Gemma and Hayley, 25, hope to impress the judges enough to make it through to Bootcamp. Their group is called Identical and they wear co-ordinating outfits – and have co-ordinated dance moves. ‘Gemma says ‘We’ve got a bit of a routine and hopefully we’ll do it right because it’s singing and moving our heads at the same time.’ They tell the judges they’ve recently celebrated their birthday – it was on the 6th of the 6th, 06!! They sing The Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This but Simon tells Gemma ‘You look completely demonic when you sing. I mean like you’re possessed or something. You pull these weird faces when you sing. You don’t sound right, you don’t look right so therefore I can’t do anything.’ But the hilarious twins aren’t going to take no for an answer so sing Lean On Me over Simon – and to his horror Louis and Sharon put them through to the next round.

They’re not the only duo to raise a smile in the Judging room. Duo Twice As Nice – Karen, 21 and Carmen, 20 both from Glasgow – perform a hilarious rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight complete with leopard skins ears, paws and tails and accompanying monkey squawks. Simon tells them that they’re ‘completely and utterly useless. The worst group we’ve ever had’ and Sharon laughing tells them they’re ‘amazingly bad’. But while Sharon and Louis find the duo funny, Simon says ‘that just about sums up today – could I hear one more monkey noise?’

But Twice As Nice aren’t put off and remain optimistic. They say ‘I think it’s going to make us stronger. We’ll just get back out there. I don’t think we’re right for this competition to be honest. They’re looking for a perfect idol and I think we’re in a different category all together.’

Sharon blasts Simon during the Newcastle auditions after he laughs at an auditionee. Nervous Agnes, 32 from Newcastle sang It Must Have Been Love but her shaky delivery prompted sniggers from Louis and Simon. Sharon apologised to Agnes saying ‘I have to apologise, it’s so unfair to do that to a lady.’ Later, she continues to blast Simon. ‘Simon, you do this year in year out. I would have thought you would be able to control yourself and be a professional. I know you don’t do it on purpose but try and hold it back. You’re a professional’ she exclaims.

As tough as they seem, the Judges show their soft side. They can’t help but be impressed by Tina, 18, a barmaid from Bolton. The Judges can’t believe it when she reveals she had recently had a heart operation but discharged herself from hospital so she could attend the audition. She sings The Fugees’ Killing Me Softly and sails through the audition. Simon says ‘I thought it was terrific. Putting you together with that voice just really worked for me.’

Later in the show, 17 year old Nikita from Glasgow continues the winning streak. She lost her mother to cancer last year and is inspired to audition in her memory. She says ‘The first one (gig) I had to do without her was quite hard and emotional. I actually cried on stage. I still have my moments where I obviously cry for her but I have to get on with my life and do what she wanted me to do. Keep doing what is my dream and I know she’s actually watching me right now to get this far. She believes in me.’ She moves the Judges by singing Dimming Of The Day by Bonnie Raitt, a song that she sang at her mother’s funeral. They are impressed and Simon tells her ‘I thought your voice was fantastic and your Mum would be very proud of you.’ Later he adds ‘It’s one of the very very rare times someone comes into the room and sings absolutely from the heart and means every word.’

Show three also sees one of last year’s contestants return. 18 year old Richard Peachy from Rhondda, Wales got through to Louis’ Bootcamp last year but failed to make the final cut. He returns this year as part of boyband Junction 4. They audition but Simon tells Richard that he’s the most talented and that he should leave the group and audition alone. Richard reluctantly leaves his bandmates and returns to the Audition Room. He says ‘I don’t want to get too much into it because I know how much it hurts. People don’t realise how much it hurts when someone says not this time. It’s what I’m here for. It’s the only thing I can do. I’m more nervous than I thought I would be.’ He sings Lionel Richie’s Hello and although Simon tells him his outfit is hideous, he gives a good audition. Richard confesses ‘I’ve been battered about. I thought I was going to win. I come in here everytime thinking I’m going to win.’ But this time Richard makes the grade and is through to Bootcamp.

Young sweethearts Gemma and Joe both audition tonight. Gemma, 23, from Sunderland had brought her boyfriend Joe, 24, also from Sunderland along for moral support as she auditioned. But his support turned to rivalry as he decided to audition as well. Gemma is first up and sings Hearts’ ballad Alone. Sharon and Simon both think that Gemma’s style is a ‘bit cabaret’ but Simon adds ‘you’re a very attractive girl with a good voice, not a great voice’. Sharon says no but Simon sides with Louis and she scrapes through. Joe’s next and despite singing ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ a song that Simon describes as a ‘safe choice’, sails though. They Judges discuss the couple after their auditions. Sharon says ‘She’s very cabaret, she’s very pretty and she thinks she’s better than she actually is. I definitely preferred him to her. I think Joseph is the one from Newcastle’ Louis adds ‘He’s better than he thinks he is’. And Simon says ‘If that guy was in America he’d have a great career – he’s a very commercial guy.’

The X Factor is known for giving unlikely people a chance of stardom. Housewife and mum Samantha, 21 from Swansea is one of these people. She explains ‘I’m 21 years old and I have two children so I’m a bit of a housewife. When you have children young it’s extremely difficult to pursue anything you want to do. You’ve got to devote your time to them and you don’t really exist. Singing is very important to me. This competition could change my whole life dramatically and my kids would have a better life too.’ She sings Bryan Adams’ Everything I Do I Do It For You and impresses the judges. Sharon tells her that she’s like a young Olivia Newton John and Simon says ‘you are one hundred per cent going through’ and Samantha’s off to Bootcamp. Later the Judges discuss Samantha. Sharon says ‘She was genuine’ and Simon agrees. ‘There’s nothing fake about her’ he says.

As First Lady of Rock, Sharon is determined to find a new rocker during the competition. ‘To find a new rock star would be amazing because there is that big gap. There isn’t a young great solo rock star. It doesn’t exist in this country’ she explains. She’s delighted to see Laura, a 21 year old barmaid from Northumberland. She cites her mum as her inspiration. ‘She wants me to prove everyone wrong and prove that rock does live on and beat pop. I’m here because I want to give a different edge to The X Factor and I want to give it a bit of a punk edge.’ All three judges love Laura and put her through. But it’s different for ‘G’ – short for Graham, 32 from Shropshire. ‘Doesn’t he know I have a headache. You shout and you don’t have a great rock voice’ complains Sharon.

And the judges get a taste of champagne – fork lift truck driver, Champagne, 35, from London who hopes to wow them. He says ‘I believe I’m the complete package. I’ve got the voice, talent, potential. I just want to blow the UK with my voice. 2006 is the year of Champagne.’ He sings R Kelly’s I Believe I Can Fly – badly – into a plastic microphone that he bought in Ibiza. Simon doesn’t hold back. ‘You called yourself Champagne but you sounded like house wine. It was a very weak karaoke version of R Kelly with some horrible props. He looks like he works in a poultry factory, he’s got two pairs of sunglasses and a plastic microphone. Champagne, you’re flat’.