X Factor has seen its first eliminations from the live show stage. It was a suitably dramatic start to the series, with each of the judges forced to evict one of their own acts. Louis Walsh, Tulisa Contostavlos, Kelly Rowland and Gary Barlow all looked suitably downcast, revealing they’d left the final decision to the last possible moment before the show. We believe them.
First, it was the turn of eviction veteran Walsh to announce his decision in his ‘Overs’ category. Walsh quickly put Sami Brookes and Kitty Brucknell through, leaving bespectacled Johnny Robinson and soldier JohnJo Kerr to fight it out for the final spot to go through to next week.
In the end, Johnny’s Bacofoil-clad dance efforts last night paid off and he too got through to the next round, while philosophical soldier JohnJo was left to rejoin his regiment, and continue dreaming of being the next James Blunt.
For the ‘Boys’ category, judge Barlow looked particularly sombre while announcing his decision. With a clear sense of his audience, he left tousled-hair Frankie Cocozza to sweat it out as one of the last pair, before finally choosing him over curly-haired James Michael. James was left to shed tears and hide under his hat, immune to all comfort.
A visibly nervous Contostavlos made heavy weather of choosing her final three in the ‘Groups’ category. Rythmix, The Risk and Nu Vibe all made it through, but 2 Shoes didn’t. Contostavlos looked even more upset than the evicted girls, and sounded reassuringly unscripted to boot. “I can’t even find a reason,” was all the intern judge could find to say to her pink-lipsticked duo, before they all collapsed in a tearful hug.
Finally, it was left to Kelly Rowland to call it in her ‘Girls’ category. “You’re unique in your own way,” she told everyone, before swiftly choosing Irish songstress Janet Devlin and Misha B to stay until next week at least. Sophie Habibis was left to wait while Rowland dissolved into tears before finally putting her through, and sending home a freshly-purple-haired Amelia Lily.
In the interim, Ceelo Green came on and showed everyone what real talent is, and Matt Cardle performed live, to show all these emotional eliminees what they could have won. And it’s only the first live week!