Michelle and Mark square up for Pop Idol final

Michelle McManus is tipped to win Pop Idol after bookies favourite Sam Nixon was sensationally voted off the show in the shock result of the series.

The cute-faced 17-year-old from Barnsley had been widely expected to breeze through to next week’s final and win the competition.

But last night he missed out in the public vote. Instead Glaswegian Michelle and outsider Mark Rhodes went through.

The 22-year-old from Darlaston in the West Midlands burst into tears when he discovered he had reached the final.

Last week, all the judges predicted that Mark would be voted off but instead it was Chris Hide who failed the viewers’ vote and left the competition.

At the time Judge Pete Waterman said: “I was absolutely certain that Mark would go and now I just can’t call it.”

Michelle, 22, was also in tears when she heard that she had secured a place in the final.

During last night’s show, each contestant sang two songs chosen by the Pop Idol judges.

Michelle performed Dionne Warwick’s Say a Little Prayer and Without You, a hit for Maria Carey, while Sam sang Rod Stewart’s Maggie May and Jon Bon Jovi’s Always.

Mark impressed viewers with his versions of Take That’s Back for Good and Simply Red’s If You Don’t Know Me By Now.

Before leaving the show Sam thanked all those who had voted for him and added: “I have done myself proud.”

Earlier in the competition, judge Simon Cowell described the teenager as “one of the most naturally talented people” who had appeared before the panel.

Mark and Michelle will spend the next week on separate whirlwind campaigns, touring the country on their own battle buses.

They will give radio and television interviews in a bid to boost support for next Saturday’s final.

All 12 Pop Idol finalists are bidding for the Christmas number one with a cover of the old John Lennon and Yoko Ono hit Happy Xmas (War Is Over).

Bookmakers Ladbrokes make former 33-1 shot Michelle the new favourite to win at 1-2, with Mark at 6-4. He was once put at 50-1.