Is Johnson Beharry Topping The Dancing On Ice Vote?

While we wait to hear further about the ongoing negotiations between Endemol and Channel 5's Richard Desmond, the story of the week in Special Bets land has to be Tom Savage of The Daily Star's revelation that Victoria Cross carrying war hero Johnson Beharry has topped the public vote more than once..

In typical Tom Savage fashion, the article breathlessly reveals Beharry has been "... getting up to double the number of votes of his nearest rival" (presumably Sam Attwater) that "Comedy" Dave Vitty is winning only 4% of the vote some weeks and also that rapper Vanilla Ice is "struggling".

How is it that Beharry could be doing so well? Simple Reality TV psychology could explain it..

Sam Attwater - Marking Time until the final?

This year, the contestant with the most skating ability - Sam Attwater - is so far ahead on the leaderboard each week it is difficult to imagine why viewers should feel they need to phone to vote for him at this stage. Attwater is very unlikely to be in the bottom 2 given he tops the judges' scores and if he did find himself in that position he would very likely be saved.

Beharry presents a different picture entirely. Each week the permanently-damaged ex-soldier puts together a decent but low-scoring performance. The viewers are aware of his huge struggle to even get on the ice and in a likely low vote numbers situation, Beharry could be top even with quite a small amount of votes.

Bet on Johnson Beharry surviving another week only at betfair.com

Katie Waisell - Unhappy X Factor Fans Allege She Was Jedward's "Rock DJ" on X factor Stage in 2009!

Why don't X Factor Viewers vote for Katie Waissel? Is there just something about her that viewers find well - fake and a little desperate?

We already knew about Katie's previous links with Sony BMG who own Simon Cowell's Syco Label - Anorak have the full story here;

And you may have also seen her reality tv series "Green Eyed World" where aspiring popstar Katie (as "Katie Vogel") "wins" the selection process for the show and ends up in a relationship with the show's executive producer Phillip Schwinger including an episode where they ponder a marriage in Vegas.



But news of the previous Sony BMG and X Factor links have even lead to fans speculating Katie was actually performing on the same X Factor stage this time last year with Jedward - check out the video below at 1 minute in - which we're assured by better informed viewers is actually Emily Barnett Salter



But we understand very clearly Simon Cowell's constant support of Katie, who the controversial elimination of Aiden over Katie and the general lack of criticism from the other judges who appear to be "toeing the line" over Simon's Katie project.

Our question for Simon is this, If Katie finds herself in the bottom 2 for the 5th time tomorrow, will Simon ignore the public's general view yet again and have the brass neck to save his baby one more time?

We couldn't express the farcical situation of Simon Cowell saving his pet project week after week in the face of sustained public disinterest than Vicky from Bracknell in this question to Cheryl Cole; on Saturday night's Xtra Factor. Well done Vicky!

X Factor's Gamu is Illegal Immigrant - The Real Reason Cheryl Cole Rejected her.

In a story similar to that of Big Brother's Makosi some years back. X Factor's Gamu Ngazana had been told by the Home Office she must leave the country by the Home Office. It has also been confirmed that there will be at least one wildcard entry into the show this weekend - although it is now clear that won't be Gamu....

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "The applications made by Ms Ngazana and her family were considered in line with the published immigration rules. Ms Ngazana's application was refused as it did not meet all of the conditions for approval. Her family, who had applied as her dependants, were therefore also refused. Where people are found to have no right to remain in the UK we expect them to leave voluntarily."

Gamu was allowed to stay in the country as a dependent while her mother, Nokuthula Ngazana, studied at university.

But the visa has now run out and the family's application to remain in the UK has been rejected as they did not meet all the criteria set down by the Home Office, the UK Border Agency said.

They must now leave the UK voluntarily or face deportation to their native Zimbabwe.

Much had been made of Cheryl Cole's apparent misjudgement in not selecting Gamu to go forward to her final group of girls, with over-zealous allegations ranging from poor taste to rascism being bandied around - something the nation's sweetheart had hope to put well behind her after a previous incident involving a black toilet attendant.

How Will This Effect The Betting?

It has been confirmed to the press association however that there will be at least one other "wild card" entrant to the series this weekend. The only betting exchange where you can back or lay "any other" is the specialist exchange Smarkets.

Here's the market with the wild card featuring as "any other" and having between a 5 and 11% of winning the show - That's between 8/1 and 17/1 for all you fraction fans.

Will The Betting Heat Turn Up Tonight For Andy Coulson?

Tonight's Dispatches will further examine allegations that during Andy Coulson's time as editor of News of the World, phone hacking was a routine practice at the paper and carried out with his knowledge.

Political journalist Peter Oborne investigates the paper's working relationship with the police and claims of undue influence together with claims of intimidation against politicians, and explores the broader links between News International and the current government.

Will Andy be still in his current job by the end of the year? Specialist betting exchange Smarkets have just opened a market on Andy's future here. Andy is currently favoured to survive, but might that change after tonight's revelations?

**UPDATE**

Labour MP Tom Watson requests David Cameron to make a statement to parliament

The X Factor Final 12 Acts - Leaked By The BBC!

In an apparently inadvertent error (or perhaps something more sinister given competition between the channels), the Radio Times' TV guide has leaked what is supposed to be the secret, yet to be revealed list of final 12 contestants that will compete in the X Factor live shows beginning October 9th.

Dannii Minogue mentors the boys, - Aiden Grimshaw, Matt Cardle and Nicolo Festa,
Cheryl Cole has the girls - Cher Lloyd, Katie Waissel and Rebecca Ferguson,
Simon Cowell backs the groups, FYD, Belle Amie and 1 Direction, while
Louis Walsh looks after the Over 28's category of John Adeleye, Mary Byrne and Storm Lee.

The first complete betting market is now available based on these names on speciality betting exchange smarkets - LINK

This Is Special Bet's Archive!

All future content will appear solely on http://www.specialbets.com - feel free to roam this archive of the last 2 years!

Emily Versus Shabnam - Who Goes?

As you'll most likely be aware, young Ziggy showed some excellent selection sense and nominated Indie Music's newest convert - Emily Parr and "I'd do anything for fame" gobshite Shabnam.

Shabnam joining the Big Brother house is her latest bid for fame and fortune following a spread on her unfortunate vaginismus for Company magazine and a a feature on her itchy bacteria-clad scalp for TV's "most embarassing illnesses" - yes, this girl will do anything it seems to be in the public eye.

Sadly for her, at this stage it looks like Friday will be Shabnam's last day in the house. A number of websites are reporting a comfortable online poll lead for Shabnam.

The usually highly accurate BigBrotherOnline has been reporting a 58-62% share for Shabnam and even the contrarians on Digitalspy report a 63% lead.

Oh well, hopefully post Shabba's exit things will "open up" for her and she should be able to "scratch" a living in the media... boom boom.

We will post our own prediction a little later on.

Special Bets