MK1 booted off 'X Factor'

X Factor hopefuls MK1 have become the first group to leave the competition after the judges’ vote went to deadlock.

Louis Walsh and Tulisa Contostavlos voted to save the duo but Gary Barlow and Nicole Scherzinger saved Kye Sones who is in Barlow’s over-28 category.

Host Dermot O’Leary was forced to reveal the public vote and the urban band - Charlie, 19, and Sim, 24 – were booted off last night’s show.

Speaking about the two acts’ final battle, Barlow said: “That was one of the best sing-offs I’ve ever seen on this show.”

Both Barlow and Walsh were quick to save their own acts, and the Take That frontman will be relieved not to lose a third act in as many weeks.

This is the first results night since the live shows started that Barlow has not waved goodbye to one of his acts.

Instead, Irishman Walsh was left to commiserate with MK1 on stage but said he was hopeful they will succeed regardless, even calling on X Factor supremo Simon Cowell to lend a hand.

He said: “We are genuinely good friends.

“I want them to get a record deal. Someone out there? Simon?”

Even though Scherzinger chose Sones over MK1, she said to the band: “I love how relevant and fresh you are.”

Contostavlos remained true to her roots in her decision to save the urban pair and said that from the second she saw them she identified with their music style.

MK1 was originally a three-piece band as Charlie and Sim’s friend Will was with them on stage, but he left when the judges said they would only put the act through as a duo.

The pair say their motto is “delivering the underground to the overground”.

The results show also featured a duet from Emeli Sande and Labrinth who performed together, while former X Factor contestants JLS also took to the stage.