X Factor voters expel Kandy Rain

Kandy Rain were kicked out of the X Factor live finals in the first public vote of this year’s competition tonight.

The all-girl group from London were narrowly beaten by Rachel Adedeji in a final contest after they both received the lowest number of votes following their live performances last night.

Viewers’ votes decided the contest after the judges were deadlocked, with Simon Cowell and absent Louis Walsh backing Kandy Rain while Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue backed Adedeji.

Cowell said he was ``surprised'' that Adedeji was one of the two acts fighting for survival, but added that he did not think Kandy Rain had been given ``a fair crack'' in the competition so far.

Last night, Cowell and Cole clashed over the live performance by Kandy Rain, whose past as pole dancers hangs over them.

Cole said that if the band, who dressed provocatively in skimpy outfits for the show, wanted to get away from their past they should have worn something more subtle and focused on their singing.

Fellow judge Dannii Minogue added: “Kandy rein it in.”

But Cowell told them: “You’re fun, you’re trying to make it in the music business. Good luck to you.”

Turning to Cole and Minogue, he said: “You two have performed in the past practically half-naked.”

As Cowell and Cole continued arguing, host Dermot O’Leary told the audience: “They’re like a pair of alley cats.”

Tonight, still scantily-clad, the girls – Chemmane Applewhite, CoCo Lloyd, Azi Jegbefume, Khatereh Dovani – performed Christina Aguilera’s Stronger as they fought for survival against Adedeji, who chose Pink’s Nobody Knows.

The girls told host Dermot O’Leary they had “couldn’t have done any better” and had “enjoyed every bit”.