Pop Idol: Crooning comes to climax

After 18 weeks the crooning is finally at a climax as Britain prepares to vote for its Pop Idol in the grand final of the programme which has gripped the nation.

Shortly after 10pm tonight either Gareth Gates from Bradford or Will Young from Hungerford, Berkshire, will be unveiled as the winner of the television talent search.

:: More than 10,000 hopefuls turned out for the open auditions across the Britain.

:: Finalist Gareth Gates auditioned along with his younger sister, but she fell at the first hurdle, while he went on to the final.

:: Panellist and music mogul Pete Waterman was threatened with physical violence by one contestant after rejecting him in the opening round.

:: Hopefuls had to be between 16 and 26 and had to be able to sing a song without music in front of a panel of judges made up of Pete Waterman, Simon Cowell and Nicki Chapman.

:: Finalist Rik Waller lost his place in the contest after suffering a throat infection and being unable to sing. His departure left the way open for Pop Stars reject Darius Danesh to make a comeback. Danesh made it through to the last three, before being voted off last week.

:: Judges Simon Cowell and Pete Waterman were warned by the show’s bosses to clean up their act following a live television bust up in which Cowell said the word b******s during the programme.

:: Dumped finalist Jessica Garlick has made a second stab for pop glory becoming one of the four acts hoping to be selected as this year’s Eurovision Song Contest entry for the UK.

:: Gareth Gates melted the nation’s hearts as he struggled throughout the series to overcome his stammer. He said the experience of the series had helped with his speech problem and had made him a stronger person.

:: Finalist Rosie Ribbons reduced judge Pete Waterman to tears with her rendition of (Everything I Do) I Do It For You.

:: More young people are thought to have voted in last week’s Pop Idol than did in the 2001 General Election.