X Factor hopefuls jet to Antigua, St Tropez, New York and LA as they battle it out at the nail-biting Judges' Houses stage

The final hurdle! X Factor hopefuls jet to Antigua, St Tropez, New York and LA as they battle it out at the nail-biting Judges' Houses stage

By LOUISE SAUNDERS

PUBLISHED: 16:29, 1 October 2013 | UPDATED: 16:59, 1 October 2013

It's the final nail-biting stage of The X Factor, which could see contestants' dreams come true or left in tatters. 

And this weekend's shows will see the four panellists - Nicole Scherzinger, Gary Barlow, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh - jet off to a series of exotic locations with their respective groups in tow. 

Not only will the aspiring pop icons have the pleasure of being flown to a swanky destination for their final audition, but the stakes will be even higher with their individual mentors joined by a host of famous faces. 

Luxurious destination: Nicole Scherzinger's Girls have potentially the most glamorous location of the four Judges' Houses, with the remaining six female acts being whisked off to Antigua to battle it out

R&B royalty: The Girls will all battle it out not only for the former Pussycat Dolls singer, but also R&B legend, Mary J Blige

Nicole's Girls have potentially the most glamorous location of the four, with the remaining six female acts being whisked off to the Caribbean island of Antigua to battle it out.

Abi Alton, Tamera Foster, Hannah Barrett, Jade Richards, Relley Clarke and Melanie McCabe will all battle it out not only for the former Pussycat Dolls singer, but also R&B legend, Mary J Blige. 

The star will help Nicole deliberate on her final decision and whittle the six contestants down to a final three, who will make it through to the Live Finals stage of the show. 

One shot: Sharon Osbourne's Over 25s category, (L-R) Zoe Devlin, Joseph Whelan, Lorna Simpson, Shelley Smith and Sam Bailey, will jet off to the music manager's home in Los Angeles

Seeing Angels? The group will be put through their paces by Robbie Williams, who will assist Sharon in finding three contestants to send through to the final 12 of this year's competition

Changing sides: Robbie has helped Gary Barlow at this stage in previous years, but has switched allegiances this time around to help Sharon

Sharon Osbourne's six remaining acts in her Over 25s category will also nip across the Atlantic for the Judges' Houses stage, but this time to the music manager's home in Los Angeles. 

Andrea Magee, Shelley Smith, Sam Bailey, Zoe Devlin, Joseph Whelan and Lorna Simpson will be put through their paces by Robbie Williams, who will assist Sharon in finding three contestants to send through to the final 12 of this year's competition. 

Back across the east coast of America, Gary Barlow and the Groups will be heading off to explore the sights and sounds of New York City. 

Big city life! Gary Barlow and the Groups - Rough Copy, Kingsland Road, Code 4, New Girl Band, Brick City and Xyra - will be heading off to explore the sights and sounds of New York City

In the hotseat! Gary will be assisted by X Factor alumni and former Xtra Factor host, Olly Murs, in New York City

Taking a break: The groups appeared to be waiting anxiously as they waited for Gary and Olly to deliver their verdicts

Seeing the sights: Brick City seemed to take some time out from their auditions for a spot of sight-seeing

Here come the boys! Kingsland looked like their were having fun as they hopped on board the Staten Island Ferry

Rough Copy, Kingsland Road, Code 4, New Girl Band, Brick City and Xyra will perform in front of the Take That heartthrob and X Factor alumni Olly Murs in the hope of landing a place in the final stage of the ITV1 talent show. 

But unfortunately, two of the groups were forced to leave members behind at home, with Rough Copy forced to compete without Kazeem Ajobe due to visa issues. 

Elsewhere, Code 4's Mark Wyman has a police record, meaning he is unable to travel to America, and had no choice but to leave fellow band members Jordan Lee, Ryan Nembhard and Jermaine Donegal to continue as a trio. 

Soaking up the sun: Ryan Mathie, Sam Callahan, Giles Potter, Nicholas McDonald, Paul Akister and Luke Friend will battle it out in the Boys' category in St Tropez

Four heads are better than one: Not content with just having one celebrity pal help him out, Louis roped in Sinitta - the best friend of show boss Simon Cowell - as well as Westlife hunk Shane Filan and All Saints star Nicole Appleton to aide him

A spokesperson for The X Factor told the Daily Mirror: 'Unfortunately due to problems in getting a visa Mark was unable to travel to Judges' Houses in America, meaning that he ended up having to leave the band to carry on in the competition as a three piece.'

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. 

Luke Friend, Giles Potter, Nicholas McDonald, Paul Akister, Ryan Mathie and Sam Callahan were whisked off to St Tropez to perform in front of not just Louis, but a panel of four. 

Caribbean getaway: The girls certainly seemed thrilled at their swanky Judges' Houses destination

Fight for survival: Hannah Barrett and Jade Richards battled it out in the hope of landing a place in the final three

Talented: Tamera Foster has been praised for her abilities throughout the competition, but has struggled with her nerves

Here come the girls! Relley Clarke and Abi Alton both reached the nail-biting penultimate stage of the competition 

One last chance: Melanie McCabe has tried out for the competition on numerous other occasions, and admitted this is her last hope for The X Factor

Picturesque: Abi got behind a keyboard as she performed against the stunning Caribbean backdrop

Not content with just having one celebrity pal help him out, Louis roped in Sinitta - the best friend of show boss Simon Cowell - as well as Westlife hunk Shane Filan and All Saints star Nicole Appleton to aide him in deliberating over his final three. 

This year's X Factor saw the Boot Camp stage feature a cruel new twist.

For the first time in the show's history, the singers had to battle it out on stage in a ‘musical chairs’ style section, which saw performers face the threat of being ousted by a better singer or group.

Jumping for joy! Sharon's groups looked utterly ecstatic to be in Los Angeles at the music manager's lavish Beverly Hills home

Unbelievable: The Over 25s looked positively aghast as they struggled to settle into their new surroundings

Giving their all: Zoe Devlin and Shelley Smith have both caught the judges' eyes throughout the competition 

Musically minded: Andrea Magee brought her flute along in a bid to impress Sharon and Robbie

Doting dad: Joseph Whelan is trying for a second shot of fame after failing to make it through on last year's series

Moment to shine: Prison officer and mum-of-two Sam Bailey received a standing ovation during her second audition

Working it: Lorna Simpson seemed to be putting her heart and soul into her performance for Sharon and Robbie

Angry fans took to Twitter to slam the new format, comparing the duelling round to The Hunger Games, a novel and film which televises 12 children battling to the death for viewers' entertainment.

Fan Kenny Doughty wrote on Twitter: 'X Factor is turning into Hunger Games. It's like pulling wings off flies. Cruel Process. Poor kids.'

@elizabethhmae wrote: 'X factor makes me so MAD. Next we'll genuinely be having the Hunger Games for real, people seem to do anything for money and entertainment.'

And Josh Lawlor added: 'Is this x factor or the hunger games bc i really cant tell????'

The Big Apple! Brick City seemed to be having fun exploring Times Square as they soaked up the sights and sounds of New York City

Unusual venue: Kingsland performed for Gary and Olly on a rooftop as they attempted to win a place in the Live Finals of the competition

Energetic trio! Code 4 put on an energetic display, despite having to lose a member of the group because he was unable to obtain a visa to travel to America

A dream come true? Rough Copy put their all into their performance as they attempted to win over the judges

Girl power! Miss Dynamix already looked as if they were styled like a bona fide girlband as they took to the roof for their make or break performance

Moment to shine: Xyra appeared to be enjoying the New York weather as they took a breather before their performance

Concrete jungle: Brick City looked professional as they performed in front of Olly and Gary

Gem Sutherland also voiced her concerns on the show, writing: 'X factor is cruel. It's like hunger games. Giving someone a seat then taking it away. How far will X factor go to get ratings.'

Despite viewers' anger, the ITV show still managed to attract an average audience of 9.5 million viewers over the weekend, with a peak of 10.9 million on Sunday evening.

The X Factor returns to screens on Saturday evening when contestants will battle it out at the Judges' Houses stage of the competition. 

Makes a change from Dublin! The boys were no doubt thrilled that Louis switched his usual Judges' Houses destination of Ireland for sunny St Tropez in the South of France

Battle of the boys! Giles Potter and Sam Callahan both showcased their vocal talents to the quartet of judges 

Talented teen: Luke Friend brought his guitar along for his poolside performance

Time to shine: Ryan Mathie and Nicholas McDonald will both be hoping to make it through to the final three boys in this year's series of The X Factor 

Dapper dude: Paul Akister completed the line-up in this year's Boys category

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2440085/X-Factor-sends-contestants-Judges-Houses.html#ixzz2gUvSRiYK
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Comeback kid Melanie McCabe sails through to X Factor Boot Camp... but Dolly Rockers' dreams are left in tatters

The agony and the ecstasy: Comeback kid Melanie McCabe sails through to X Factor Boot Camp... but Dolly Rockers' dreams are left in tatters 

By LOUISE SAUNDERS

PUBLISHED: 21:17, 8 September 2013 | UPDATED: 22:28, 8 September 2013

It was the week of the comeback kids for Sunday night's episode of The X Factor. 

And while some contestants dreams were left in tatters as they were told they wouldn't be progressing any further in the competition, other aspiring singers saw themselves come one step closer to their hopes of worldwide super-stardom. 

After auditioning on four previous occasions, Melanie McCabe was giving her X Factor dream a final shot, before calling her singing career quits. 

FOURTH time lucky! Melanie McCabe was delighted after sailing through to X Factor Boot Camp on Sunday night's show

The 19-year-old student explained just how important getting through to Boot Camp was this time around, with her family about to lose their home.

She explained: 'Singing is the only thing I've ever been good at. I feel like the person I'm supposed to be when I sing. I can't even put into into words how much it means to me. 

'My family have been so supportive to me over the years, we don't have a lot of money at the moment and we're losing our house at the moment. I feel like everything is falling down around me.

The 19-year-old student explained just how important getting through to Boot Camp was this time around, with her family about to lose their home

Singing for her life: The Irish teen dazzled the judges with a heart-warming rendition of Titanium

'This is my last go at X Factor; I'm singing for my life, basically.'

Receiving a standing ovation from the Arena audience after performing a heart-warming rendition of Titanium, Melanie received four enthusiastic yes votes from the judging panel, Nicole Scherzinger, Gary Barlow, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh. 

Sharon said: 'I don't know what went on with you and this show before, I wasn't here and I don't care. I think you're sensational.'

Gary added: 'You're a great vocalist and you have a great stage presence. You knocked it out of the park today.' 

Thrilled: Melanie received four enthusiastic yes votes from the judges, Nicole Scherzinger, Gary Barlow, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh

Talented teen: The student couldn't believe her luck as the entire arena audience got up on their feet to applaud her

Nicole enthused: 'You have a great voice and effortless control. Beautiful job today. Her voice is limitless. This is her time now.' 

Louis concluded: 'I wanted you to be so good today and you were sensational. I think you're a star, and it's not just because you're from Dublin.'

Melanie later explained: 'I felt so much pressure this time, it really was my last chance. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my whole life.'

Last chance saloon: Melanie admitted she was ready to give up her dream if The X Factor didn't work out this time around

Third time lucky: Jade Richards also got through to Boot Camp after three attempts at the competition

Jade Richards, 23, who has appeared on the ITV1 reality show for the past two consecutive years, also sailed through to Boot Camp with four yes votes, despite being told she needed to work on her performance skills. 

Explaining just how nervous she was, the unemployed singer said: 'It's just a big deal coming back for me. I can't believe I cried so much, I was so emotional because it was such a reassurance that I was doing the right thing by coming back.'

Gary said: 'Jade, I think you're a fantastic singer but there's no climax to your auditions.'

Comeback kid: Jade performed a faultless rendition of Amy Winehouse's Back To Black

Work to do: The judges told Jade she needed to connect more with the audience

Unsure: Gary told the other judges he felt that Jade lacked passion

Sharon added: 'There's no passion, there's no fire inside you. You disconnect from the audience.'

Gary later commented: 'I feel like some of them have demons from where they went out last time and can't get beyond it.'

But it wasn't a case of third time's a charm for everyone who was returning to the competition, with Dolly Rockers breaking down in floods of tears as they were sent home without getting through to Boot Camp. 

Gary said: 'You needed to make drastic changes to be even close, girls. We needed it 30 seconds ago.'

Sharon quipped: 'This contest is going to eat you up.'

Tipped for success: Girlband Dolly Rockers were also hoping to impress after auditioning for a second time

Devastated: The girls were left inconsolable after the judges told them they hadn't made it through to Boot Camp

Not this time: Sharon told the group the competition would eat them up, as they weren't up to the standard of the other contestants

It wasn't just previous hopefuls who dominated Sunday night's show, with a number of first-timers also taking to the stage for their second round of auditions. 

Shelley Smith, 34, wowed the judges with her flawless rendition of Nina Simone's classic Feelin' Good.

Explaining how difficult it was to go back to her day job as a van driver after her first successful audition, Shelley said: 'My first audition was just amazing, it was what I wanted and what I dreamed about. Going back to work was a bit of a comedown, I was in my van covered in grease.'

Working the crowd: Bubbly Shelley Smith, 34, wowed the judges with her flawless rendition of Nina Simone's classic Feelin' Good

Impressed: Scoring a resounding four yes votes from the judges, the panel gushed over the bubbly blonde's immense talent

And the aspiring star's seven-year-old daughter, Madeleine, has high hopes for her: 'I think my mum's the best singer in the world and I want her to win The X Factor so she can buy lots of puppies and a swimming pool.'

Scoring a resounding four yes votes from the judges, the panel gushed over the bubbly blonde's immense talent. 

Nicole said: 'Now that's a Pussycat Doll if ever I saw one. That song was perfect for you, as this is a new dawn and a new day for you, my love. 

Daily grind: Shelley admitted going back to her job as a van driver had been a struggle

Mum's the word! Shelley's family waited patiently backstage as they heard the judges' verdict

Sharon added: 'Shelley, you are so sassy! Do you have a date? You should be going out tonight and celebrating. Fabulous performance.' 

Louis gushed: 'You had everyone in the arena on your feet, you're not just a singer, you're a performer.'

Meanwhile, Gary concluded: 'It's effortless for you, you just throw the vocals out there and the place is on its feet.'

Yodelling teen Barclay Beales also impressed once again with a unique rendition of One Direction's What Makes You Beautiful.

Watch out, Harry Styles! Yodelling teen Barclay Beales also impressed once again with a unique rendition of One Direction's What Makes You Beautiful

Whoever knew yodelling could be so sexy? Nicole was up on her feet like a shot as the talented teen took to the stage

Thrilled: Nicole couldn't hide her delight as she whooped the aspiring star on from her seat

After getting up on her feet to boogie away, Nicole said: 'I love a good yodel. It's super-dooper hard and technical, but you make it look easy.

Although Sharon said: 'I don't want you be a gimmick so you need to back it up with the voice. You have to promise to work on those vocals.' 

Louis added: 'I think you have star quality, with or without the yodelling.'

Euphoria Girls were slammed by Gary for their brand of energetic pop and sent home, while Birmingham-based housekeeper Relley Clarke scraped through by the skin of her teeth. 

Teen idol: Louis told Barclay he thought he would be a star

Proud as punch: Barclay's dad looked thrilled as he hung out backstage with host Dermot O'Leary

Impressed: Nicole praised Barclay's technical ability as she gushed over his yodelling skills for a second time

Sharon said: 'That was a weird song for you, I think you're capable of much better.' 

Gary added: 'The reason we're on this panel is because we see potential in people, and I can still see a good singer under there.'

One of the most moving performances of the night came from 18-year-old supermarket worker Abi Alton, who impressed the panel with a touching self-penned song. 

Awkward! Dermot visibly cringed as he heard the judges slam Euphoria Girls while standing beside their friends and families

Fail: The energetic quintet were slammed by Nicole, Sharon and Gary, but Louis told them he thought they were 'fun'

Speaking before her audition, she said: 'It was really overwhelming, it was amazing to get the feedback I got off Gary. 

'Since my first audition, quite a lot of things have happened in my life and that's what my song today is about. It's a really personal and emotional song about a boy who broke my heart.'

Looking utterly amazed as the arena audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation, the talented teen was left in floods of tears on stage as the panel delivered their verdicts. 

Gary enthused: 'Lovely, that. Very nice. There was a really magical moment just then, it was like your dreams coming true in front of your eyes. What an incredible audition.' 

Only just: Birmingham-based housekeeper Relley Clarke scraped through by the skin of her teeth

A helping hand: The aspiring singer was comforted by a friend after being told her song choice was 'weird'

Sharon added: 'It's answered the question as to whether you'd translate in a big arena and you got a standing ovation. I love you very much.'

Fighting back the tears herself, Nicole said: 'I just think you're so courageous. Thank you for sharing it with all of us today. You, little angelic songbird, you.'

And despite being unsure the first time around, Louis commented: 'I wasn't sure about you the first time around, I was wrong.'

The X Factor returns for another round of auditions next weekend.

Talented: One of the most moving performances of Sunday night's show came from 18-year-old supermarket worker Abi Alton, who impressed the panel with a touching self-penned song

Emotional times: Both Nicole and Sharon were moved to tears as they watched Abi perform her touching song 

Young love: Abi explained the track was about a boy who had broken her heart

Emotions running high: The teenager was left in floods of tears as she received a standing ovation from the audience 

Proud dad: Abi jumped into her father's arms as she ran off stage following her successful audition

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2415610/X-Factor-2013-Comeback-kid-Melanie-McCabe-sails-Boot-Camp--Dolly-Rockers-dreams-left-tatters.html#ixzz2eLEvXfeM
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