IRISH SCHOOLGIRL Janet Devlin moved one step closer to winning the X Factor after she sailed through to the next round of the television talent show.
The 16-year-old singer impressed judges with her understated rendition of the Guns N' Roses hard-rock anthem Sweet Child O' Mineon Saturday's programme, prompting Take That frontman Gary Barlow to gush: "Simply beautiful and gorgeous".
With her formerly mousy-fair hair dyed a vivid burnt-orange and wearing a black mini-dress and rock-chick boots, the teenager was last night voted through to the final 10 contestants battling it out for the ultimate prize of a recording contract – the value of which is disputed, with critics claiming it falls far short of the trumpeted £1million.
Two female singers under the tutelage of Irish mentor Louis Walsh – Sami Brookes and Kitty Brucknell – finished in the bottom two, with Brucknell going through after a sing-off.
This year’s series, piloting a new format and line-up of judges following the departure of its infamous originator Simon Cowell to head up a US version, has seen ratings fall – in Ireland as well as Britain – and negative coverage in the press for its lacklustre performances, although it still remains one of ITV’s most popular programmes, with 10 million tuning in last week.
Certainly, there's no outstanding act, although for sheer entertainment value, the unlikely looking pop wannabe Johnny Robinson played a blinder on Saturday, with a frenetic, falsetto version of I Believe In A Thing Called Love.
He went on to unwittingly steal the best line in the programme. Asked cattily by Barlow – who’s taken Cowell’s place as the pantomime villain – did he get his eye-poppingly shiny, silver suit in Argos, he retorted, “No, in your wardrobe”, to rapturous applause.
By contrast, Janet Devlin is a shy performer. A native of Gortin, Co Tyrone, her tuneful voice and unassuming demeanour have seen her tipped as a winner – although there has been criticism of the way stylists have sexed up her image.