X Factor Final - Preview 17/12 - The Trouble With Being Favourite;

It just HAS to be Shayne says the Manchester Evening News and they're not the only ones... almost every media organisation is telling the nation this evening that Shayne's the favourite to win tonight. This can be a problematic - who remembers John McCririck telling the nation Celebrity Big Brother
contestant Kenzie was a "Dead Cert" - Kenzie fans were not driven to the phone in droves, and the Happy Monday's Bez won 54% of the vote.

Current To Win Betfair Odds - Shayne 1.55 Journey South 3.8 Andy 10


X Factor - 6.40 - 8.10pm Xtra Factor - 8.10 - 9.10 Results Show (format below) 9.10 - 10.10pm

Order Of Play - Each contestant will sing 3 times, including a Christmas song in keeping with the season. Journey South will start, followed by Andy and then Shayne, repeat and repeat again. Is that significant? Being last is considered to be an advantage (although given each contestant is singing 3 times the impact of that should be diminished). Is Shayne last because he needs a little help? We'll see - The "This Morning" Poll, 12/12 had Journey South with quite a lead...

Song Choices;

Shayne - If you're not the one - (Daniel Beddingfield)
When A Child Is Born - (Traditional)
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Made Famous by Judy Garland)

Andy - Oh Holy Night, When A Man Loves A Woman, Me & Mrs Jones.

Journey South - Happy Xmas (War Is Over), Let It Be, Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me.

We reckon Journey South have the best song choices here on balance. Popular songs we've heard them sing well. JS's "cheese swerve" singing the John Lennon number is another smart Simon Cowell move we think and another opportunity to absorb some of the emotion surrounding Lennon's 25 year anniversary.

We think that Shayne Ward will sing well, and will impress vocally (he soundchecked well)
but we're concerned that these songs are rather dull and chosen to win older demographic votes which will put him in more direct competition with what we think are JS and Andy's fanbase.

Andy's Song choices are perfect in our view apart from "Oh Holy Night" which we commented on here; "When a Man Loves A Woman" and "Me And Mrs Jones" are his show stoppers.

We're having trouble making a definitive call on who might win tonight, but think that Journey South and Shayne's odds should be much closer and would be backing Andy at these levels.
Results Show Format;

9.20pm -Third placed finalist voted off
9.30pm -Top two sing their favourite song or is it the single "That's My Goal"?
10pm -Winner Announced