Sunday, 6 October 2013

Sam, Shelley and Lorna are Sharon's final three while Louis picks Luke, Nicholas and Sam for the X Factor live shows

The divas have it! Sam, Shelley and Lorna make it into Sharon's final three while Louis picks Luke, Nicholas and Sam for the X Factor live shows

PUBLISHED: 21:50, 5 October 2013 | UPDATED: 23:57, 5 October 2013

In the first part of Judges' Houses, Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne were tasked with selecting their final three in each of the Boys and the Overs categories of The X Factor.

Which meant more than a few happy and sad tears were shed by the twelve hopefuls who put everything into their performances at their respective mentors homes.

But in the end it was Shelley Smith, Sam Bailey and Lorna Simpson of the over 25s and Luke Friend, Nicholas McDonald and Sam Callahan who would be heading through to the live shows.

They're through! Sam Bailey and Shelley Smith make it through to The X Factor Live Shows

Divas doing it for themselves! Lorna Simpson's powerhouse performance of Beyoncé's If I Were A Boy secured her place in Sharon's final three for the Overs

Sharon had Robbie Williams on her team to help select her final three at her LA home, and clearly Shelley's performance of Alicia Keys' Girl On Fire was enough to persuade the two of her X Factor worth.

Smith, 34, said after learning she was through: 'I’m overwhelmed to be in the live shows and feel unbelievably proud that Mrs O sees something and believes in me. I was so shocked when she chose me. Apart from having Madeline, it was the best day of my life so far.'

Sam Bailey wowed Sharon and Robbie with her rendition of I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston, but she wasn't happy with the performance, that even Sharon admitted wasn't as powerful as her first arena audition.

Judges' Houses: The Overs headed to Los Angeles to perform their best for Sharon at her home

Take That Gary! Robbie Williams switched from Barlow to Osbourne as guest judge in this year's competition

Out: Zoe Devlin doesn't make it through to the X Factor live shows

Out: Zoe Devlin and Andrea Magee's performances aren't enough for Sharon to put them in her final three

Another disappointment: Joseph Whelan failed to make it through for the second year running

A tearful Sam took her good news well, and went off to celebrate with a cup of tea. Speaking of her performance, the 35-year old said: 'When I was at judges houses I was completely stripped back with no amplification of my voice or anything; the heat was just bearing down on me.'

Sharon's final pick was 26-year old Lorna Simpson, even though Robbie has said she 'needed more charisma' who said about her mentor after being selected for the live shows: 'I’m really glad Sharon is my judge, she came back this year so it’s got to mean something. I’m the person that can make her smile and think ‘yeah she did it for me’. She’s such a lovely person.'

Emotional: Sam Bailey can't contain her tears as she gets ready for Sharon's decision

Ecstatic! Bailey is overjoyed to make it through to the live shows

Tense: There's always a sense of foreboding before the judges deliver the verdict the hopefuls

Nervous: Lorna's confident performance of Beyoncé's If I Were A Boy made sure she got through

Sadly for Andrea and Zoe, their style was too unique for Sharon's liking. Of Andrea, Mrs Osbourne said: 'You've got a beautiful voice, but you are a niche artist.'

While it seemed to be harder for the judge to come to a decision on Zoe: 'I've been going back and forth all night, you know that you don't have the strongest voice in the competition. but your special and unique.'

Delivering her no verdict, Zoe's tears fell harder, forcing Sharon to console her with a few words: 'I know it hurts but you've got to be strong. for everything thank you.'

Happy: Shelley cried happy tears when she realised her hard work had paid off

No inhibitions: It was Smith's bubbly character and care-free attitude which helped Sharon choose her for the team

Devastated: Zoe couldn't contain her emotions even before Sharon Osbourne told her she wasn't going through

Gutted: Whelan put everything in to his singing career but now is it a loss at what to do next

Joseph sadly had to go home and tell his boy for a second time he didn't get through. Sharon said his voice was good but it was 'limited'.

'I know what this means to you,' Osbourne said. 'I am so sorry.'

'That was worse than last year to be honest,' were Joseph's final words

Meanwhile, Louis Walsh's Boys category will no doubt have been thrilled that the music manager decided to ditch his usual Irish retreat in favour of a swanky pad in the South of France for this year's competition.

Rockers: Luke Friend and Sam Callahan were Louis's top choice for the live shows

Classic: Like past X Factor winner Shayne Ward, Nicholas McDonald sang Daniel Bedingfield's If You're Not The One to Louis' delight

THE OVERS - SHELLEY SMITH

Age: 34

Location: Devon, Farringdon

Occupation: White van driver

Room song: Natural Woman, Aretha Franklin

Arena song: Feeling Good, Nina Simone

Bootcamp song: Respect, Aretha Franklin

Judges' Houses song: Girl on Fire, Alicia Keys

THE OVERS - SAM BAILEY

Age: 35

Location: Leicestershire

Occupation: Prison Officer

Room song: Listen, Beyonce

Arena song: Whose Loving You The Jackson’s

Bootcamp song: Clown, Emeli Sande

Judges' Houses song: I Have Nothing, Whitney Houston

THE OVERS - LORNA SIMPSON

Age: 26

Location: South Norwood, London

Occupation: University student

Room song: I Have Nothing, Whitney Houston

Arena song: A Moment like This, Leona Lewis

Bootcamp song: Dance With Somebody, Whitney Houston

Judges' Houses song: If I Were A Boy, Beyoncé

BOYS - LUKE FRIEND

Age: 17

Location: Devon

Occupation: Student

Room song: Stand By Me, Ben. E King

Arena song: Too Much Love Will Kill You, Queen

Bootcamp song: Alone – Heart

Judges' Houses song: Cannonball, Damien Rice

BOYS - NICHOLAS MCDONALD

Age: 16

Location: Motherwell

Occupation: Student

Room song: You Raise Me Up, Westlife

Arena song: 1000 Years, Christina Perry

Bootcamp song: I won't give up - Jason Mraz

BOYS - SAM CALLAHAN

Age: 19

Location: Essex

Occupation: Barman

Room song: You’re Beautiful, James Blunt

Arena song: You Need Me- Ed Sheeran

Bootcamp song: Iris, GooGoo Dolls

Typical: Sinitta had to be centre of attention in a white bikini while Nicole looked chic in a black top and shorts with leopard print heels

Got enough help there? Nicole Appleton, Shane Filan and Sinitta join Louis as guest mentors in St Tropez

And the greedy Irishmen had more than his fair share of help from three guest judges: Sinitta, Nicole Appleton and Shane Filan.

Walsh whisked his hopefuls off to St Tropez for the next stage of auditions, and eventually selected Luke, Sam and Nicholas for his final three leaving Giles Potter, Paul Akister and Ryan Mathie devastated.

Luke, 17, sang Cannonball by Damien Rice, which he said was 'really emotional' for him: 'Two years ago my grandpa died of cancer; when I went in to see him I didn’t even talk to him, I just sang that song. We were really close; I would always go round his house and perform songs to him, as he was the only person who would always give me an honest opinion.'

The hopefuls: Ryan Mathie, Sam Callahan, Giles Potter, Nicholas McDonald, Paul Akister and Luke Friend were whisked off to St Tropez for the next round of auditions

Home time: Sadly for Giles Potter and Paul Akister, their X Factor journey came to an end this year

Home time: Sadly for Giles Potter and Ryan Mathie, their X Factor journey came to an end this year

Under 20s: All of Louis' choices are still in their teens, whereas 24-year old Paul Akister had to put his dream on hold

'Thank you so much for believing in me,' Luke said after Louis confirmed his place in the top three.

Sam went for the more modern rock anthem We Are Young by FUN, and her clearly had a lot of fun while staying on the French Riviera.

'Judges Houses was an emotional rollercoaster,' the 19-year old bartender said. 'But I love doing what I do and it was such a good few days; I didn’t want to come home! We got to go swimming, and we went on a beautiful yacht that had a hot tub and three jet skis!'

So emotional: one wonders whether a contestant so young is ready for the drama and stress of the music industry

Emotions running high: The pressure of getting through was getting too much for Sam to bear

You got a friend in me: Luke convinced Louis of his talent, putting him into the live shows

Nicholas stuck to the classic ballad by Daniel Bedingfield, If You're Not The One, which was the song that Louis' past winner Shayne Ward sang in the final to win back in 2009. He burst out crying after his performance, leading to Shane Filan's emotions breaking through.

Louis had Nicholas in tears again when they had their one-on-one, seemingly unnecessary to play with the young boy's emotions. But eventually the Irishman was shedding a few as gave him the good news.

As the youngest contestant so far, McDonald will be happy to see his two favourite women also through to the live shows: 'I get along with Shelley and Sam because they’re the most motherly figures in the house; I miss my mum so they help me out with washing and doing my hair!'

For Giles, Ryan and Paul, their journey was over.

'It wasn't good, you let yourself down yesterday, Louis told a silent Giles. 'Yesterday wasn't as good as it should have been.'

Poor Ryan: Mathie could barely speak when he got his no verdict from Louis Walsh

Shock: Paul's exit was a surprise after his widely appreciated performance, while Louis said Giles had let himself down during hiis

'It's not good news Giles', was the trigger for the 16-year old boy to burst into tears. Speechless, the young lad seemed to want be on his own as soon as possible.

The problem for me you're hiding behind your guitar a lot,' Louis told Ryan, who to failed to live up to Louis's expectations.

For Louis, the hardest verdict to deliver was to Paul, who he didn't believed had the charisma to match his powerful voice.

Judges' House part two returns in The X Factor on Sunday October 6th, 8pm.

Harsh reality: To come so close to the live shows must be torture for the hopefuls

KATCHING MY I

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