Janet Devlin is a strong favourite to face the X Factor axe
Published:Throughout Saturday’s show, Janet Devlin wore an expression suggesting that she was resigned to impending X Factor elimination, and the individualistic Irish contestant is expected to be the twelfth act sent home at 8/13.
Her fiercest critic Gary Barlow’s refusal to stick the boot in after mediocre stabs at MMMBop – an ill-fitting song choice from Kelly Rowland – and Under The Bridge hinted that he believed that the damage had already been done.
It was the 11/1 outsider in the winners’ market Misha B who again looked a cut above the rest with a unique take on Girls Just Want to Have Fun and classy rendition of Killing Me Softly, yet she is the second favourite to bow out at 3/1.
A girl is almost certain to exit, as it is highly unlikely that 7/4 joint-favourites Marcus Collins and Little Mix will meet in the bottom two, and so long as one solo female is there, the judges will surely move to stop three from being in the final four.
So Misha’s lowly place in the pecking order is presumably prompted by that logic and the perception that she is unpopular, however the tide is turning in that department, and she arguably received the most audience support of all on Saturday.
It is also tough to see Amelia Lily leaving though, as she should benefit from both going on stage last and the bottom-two bounce, whereby Kitty Brucknell is the only singer all series to have been back in the sing-off a week after surviving in one.
The thinking is that a close shave serves as a call to arms for that act’s fans the following week and Amelia gave them further inspiration to grab the phone with an energetic show-closing performance of Kelly Clarkson’s Since U Been Gone.
It all points to Janet’s time being up, while it will be interesting in the context of the winner market to see who joins her in the sing-off.
