X Factor reject Scott wants Laura to win

X Factor reject Scott Bruton said today he was lucky to make it past the first round of live shows after his mentor Simon Cowell gave him such a “dreadful song” to perform.

The former Blue Coat was forced to compete against Daniel Evans last night for a place in next week’s show, after both singers picked up the fewest votes in the public ballot.

Bruton said: “It’s not as if I went out on a bad performance and I’m really happy about that. First week, it was a dreadful song but Simon has actually turned round and said: ’Yeah I made a mistake there’.

“When they started pretty much ripping into me I thought: ’I’m going home first week’. I was just like: ’He has obviously made a mistake, I just hope he delivers for me next week if I get through’ and he did.”

Evans, whose wife died shortly after the birth of their baby girl, dedicated his survival song, Josh Groban’s 'To Where You Are', to her memory.

But Bruton said he did not think the judges saved Evans out of sympathy. “I don’t think that in the slightest. I feel that Daniel performed better on the day and the judges saw that,” he said.

The 19-year-old, who was the third act to be booted out of the X Factor, hung up his Pontin’s Blue Coat to concentrate on the competition.

He said: “The Blue Coat is well and truly out of my life now and I’m just so happy that people have stopped calling me Scott the Blue Coat now. I suppose it did get me down a bit because I was trying to lose that title.”

“It would be nice to go back to my centre and do a gig. There is so much undiscovered talent in holiday camps – I’m just so glad that I’ve been able to lead the way.”

Bruton thinks Alexandra will win the competition, but would prefer to see Laura or Eoghan take the title.

He said: “I think Alexandra will win. She’s one of the most dynamic singers I’ve ever heard and she’s a true performer as well, she’s got it all. Who do I want to win? Laura. I want Laura to win. I think she will definitely be in the final. Also Eoghan because Eoghan was my best mate in the house.”

Bruton also said that there had been some romance in the X Factor house this year but would not reveal between which finalists.

The X Factor averaged 9.7 million (40%) between 7.45 and 9.25pm, peaking at 10.7m (44%).

Strictly Come Dancing averaged 9.3m (39%) from 6.30 to 8.05pm, peaking at 10.6m (44%).