Weather: Hi 12°C / Lo 7°C
Shock exit — a horrified Lucie Jones learns from Dermot O'Leary that she has lost out to Jedward
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Print
Email
Quite possibly, we have just witnessed a change in the national mood towards X Factor.
Up to now, the public has felt that for all Simon Cowell’s pantomime villainry he was a good soul and would always opt for the best singer.
His decision on Sunday to let the public vote decide whether Jedward or the talented singer Lucie Jones left the contest changed all that.
For the first time, really, Cowell’s power on the show seemed to go to his head.
Yes, he owns it. Yes, he is the judge whose approval the contestants most crave. Yes, he pays the other judges’ wages.
But only at the weekend did his usual awareness of the public will seem to desert him. He was booed in the studio, cold-shouldered by his colleagues, harangued by callers on the ITV2 follow-up show.
Fair enough, Jedward were in the bottom two after weeks of unexpected popularity — largely as a result of Cowell’s very public dislike of them — but only a fool would have thought their fans had deserted so completely as to have put them bottom of the poll and so guaranteed their exit.
It’s obvious, for all the fact voters put Jones at the bottom of the poll — most likely because everyone else thought everyone else was voting for her — the public wanted her to stay.
Cowell, uncharacteristically, mistook voters for the viewers. He will no doubt discover the difference between the two next week when viewers who didn’t vote may feel moved to take their revenge on some of his acts.
Post a comment
Limit: 500 characters
View all comments that have been posted about this article
Offensive or abusive comments will be removed and your IP address logged and may be used to prevent further submissions. In submitting a comment to the site, you agree to be bound by BelfastTelegraph.co.uk's Terms of Use.
Posts submitted in UPPERCASE letters will be rejected.
91%
9%
Well i think that for Simon Lucie hit the threat button she did so not desevere to go out why did he not get rid of them while he had the chance well maybe jedward=entertainment=votes=money=:) simon i mean who is actully going to buy their albums they will get no where if they win end of
Thank-everbody who has given Lucie support when she needs it the most anyway i am now voting for Llyod Jordie Joe or Dagnum Stace bye xxxx
Posted by Erin | 12.11.09, 18:01 GMT
Wish I could give her an interview.
This is why I hate the xfactor. Ok all the acts are average, and its like watching cheesy karaoke, but that cutie deserved to stay rather than those two losers.
The whole program is a shambles
www.melovemusic.com
Posted by Steve | 12.11.09, 10:01 GMT
simon why would you do this 'jedward' are awful and you know that and you personally said that if john and edward win you will quit lucie deserves to be in the competition not john and edward!
Posted by Ella Rankin | 10.11.09, 22:22 GMT
Simon was right to go to the public vote,Lucy did not get the votes so diserved to go home
Posted by Sarah | 10.11.09, 22:17 GMT
Every show he shouted, the can't sing and they don't belong here and in the end, he wen't for the money. People who watch the show (as I do in the Netherlands) need a outsider. A punk who atracks viewers and we all now the more viewers, how higher the earnings are.
Simon showed his face as he did'nt vote (as everyone expected after all his comments) for the voice, but for the money.
Shame on him. Hopfully there is a recordcompany in Brittain, cause there already a buyer in the Netherlands.
Regards
Ben.
Posted by Ben from the Netherlands | 10.11.09, 22:12 GMT
simon is horrible.just to let you no i wont be watching xfactor anymore.the ugly infective twins are knockin the good singers out u better sort it out because every1 nos u only did it because u want 1 of urs to win.well im sorry simon but ur dession is horrible and u will regret it
Posted by eleigh burrows | 10.11.09, 18:48 GMT
That is some headline. Well done.
Posted by Subber McFly | 10.11.09, 18:46 GMT
edward and john are rubbish they shouldnt have gone to bootcamp never mind where they am now.
Its shame lucie jones has gone she is a good singer and has got talent.
how ever simon was in the wrong by leaving down to the public vote yet again.
Posted by steph | 10.11.09, 17:56 GMT
I'm so over this. The 3000 people who are complaining to Ofcom are nuts. Get a life and start worrying about REAL issues. Honestly, this Country and some of the people are the biggest joke! Its a tv show for crying out loud! Lucie has gone, if you liked her you should have voted for her but you didn't so she's gone! And remember people, 'Jedward' are still very young and do not deserve the rubbish the public are giving them!
Posted by Hannah | 10.11.09, 13:28 GMT