X-Factor cabaret final a shipwreck

The 2007 X-Factor final was a shambles. It was a seaside town variety show. Same Difference, with their thin voices and attractive smiles, waft through another set of pretty and sweet and unchallenging songs. Leon sings the same old croon, one key, one note, one song that appears no different to another. Rhydian tries to put a manly front on a cultured and precious and closeted voice.

ITV realised the trouble they had, probably along with Simon Cowell, and so they ramped up the cabaret elements to the hilt. Duets with the finalists from Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue and Katherine Jenkins were astonishing, but more from the gulf that was revealed.

This is probably the worst final in X-Factor history. Look, all the finalists come across as great people and very determined to succeed. But Leon is a one song pony. If you want smooth hotel bar music, he's the man. But no eXtra factor. Same Difference were overshadowed by Jason, who is no powerhouse. But his one voice has 5 times the power and tone of the two put together.

And the whole series was blown into the distance the minute Katherine Jenkins sang just one note. There is the power. There is the talent. There is X factor to the XXXXX degree. Poor Rhydian could not stay in the same song, let alone be on the same stage. He has a good voice, probably the best in this series in terms of consistency. But Katherine was awesome, spine-tingling, and made up for the many low spots in this series.

It was so bad, they couldn't even find a bunch of highlights. Instead they went for the most serious problem of the show. We cringe and we switch off as they parade out some of the worst moments from the auditions. This is not funny, or uplifting. It is sad and mean.

The money must be really hurting ITV by now. To have to pay for Jason and Kylie and Katherine to try to boost audience figures must have really stung. And I hope so. They have consistently refused to tell the truth about the voting, and my guess is that would reveal how poor this series has been received.

So, a mediocre series became a shipwreck after the best talent was pushed off by the judges and the secret voting shambles.