The loudmouth DJ reckons Murray, who was saved from elimination by the public votes last night, could go all the way to the final.

And Moyles, who is urging the Northern Ireland public to get behind his workmate, says he'd like to see Murray perform a local track in the show, such as Girl From Mars by Downpatrick's Ash.

Moyles, who was in Belfast this week for the Red Nose Day Rallyoke tour, said: "I really think Colin could go all the way to the final and I think it will be down to him, Ray Stubbs or that guy who played Barry in EastEnders.

"I thought he did a great job with Teenage Kicks, a good old Northern Irish anthem, so maybe he should do something like Girls From Mars.

"The public seem to like him, though I don't know why as he's a horrible person. No, I'm only joking of course, I'd love to see Murray win. He's a friend and he's from Northern Ireland."

Murray dropped into the bottom three last night, alongside sports presenter Ray Stubbs and children's TV star Angellica Bell.

The judges voted Stubbs through, leaving Colin and Angellica at the mercy of fellow contestants - who returned a 2-2 vote. The final decision was then made after the initial public votes were counted, leaving Colin to fight, or rather sing, another day.

Moyles meanwhile said he'd been a bit surprised by the good behaviour of the revellers at the Bamboo Beach Club on Monday night.

"I thought they'd be a bit more raucous, a bit more abusive to me but they weren't," he said.

But he did get some abuse - and give plenty - to Radio Ulster's top presenter Stephen Nolan, whom he met for the first time yesterday.

"He makes me look positively anorexic," he joked. "And if he's 33, then I'm nine and a half stone.

"We've raised around £300,000 so far, which I hear is around the same as Stephen Nolan gets paid in a week."

Louis Walsh backs Moyles to replace him as X Factor host: P20