Dream set to end for another 'X Factor' hopeful
The 'X Factor' dream will come to an end for one of the last three hopefuls tonight as the competition enters its final stage.
After weeks of live performances in front of the viewing millions, finalists Olly Murs, Stacey Solomon and Joe McElderry will sing to stay in with a chance of being crowned winner of the ITV1 competition.
Tonight's show, which is expected to be watched by a UK audience of 20m, will see the trio take to the stage with three world stars.
One of the contestants will be voted off, leaving the remaining two to battle it out for the title - and a recording contract - tomorrow night.
As the anticipation built up yesterday, the finalists spoke of the intense pressure they were under.
Bookies' favourite Geordie McElderry, 18, who will perform with George Michael, told GMTV: "Practically everyone's going to be watching it. The hype of it is just massive this year."
McElderry, from South Shields, is the 2/5 favourite, according to William Hill, which predicts £10m (€11.11m) will be bet on 'The X Factor' this year.
The bookmaker has doubled its staff this weekend and expects to take up to 500 bets a minute at the peak.
Murs, 25, from Essex, who will be singing with Robbie Williams, said the Angels star left a message on his phone suggesting they perform a dance together on the weekend's show.
Solomon, a 20-year-old single mother from Dagenham, will take to the stage for a duet with Michael Buble.
However, while it remains to be seen whether this year's star will emulate the success of the likes of previous winners such as Leona Lewis, the future of the show itself could also be under threat.
Simon Cowell spoke of the need for further investment and said: "We always said that we'd stop making the show when people don't want to see it.
"Part of the reason this show has been so successful. and I credit ITV with this, is that they have invested a lot of money in the show to make it better, and obviously we work with great producers.
"So, believe it or not, when we actually do a negotiation with a network, it's not about salaries for the people on it. To begin with, it's how much money are you going to invest over a period of time and there's a lot things that factor in that - what show are you going to be following, at what time of night etc?
"So, until we resolve that, it's difficult to say (if we will be returning next year)."
The singing talent contest has seen viewing figures soar this year and defeated BBC rival show Strictly Come Dancing in the ratings war after changes in its format which included a £1m (€1.1m) state-of-the-art stage.
