Platt out ahead of final

Teenager Lauren Platt is out of next week’s X Factor final leaving the Andrea Faustini, Fleur East and Ben Haenow to prepare for the most important weekend of the competition.

The 17-year-old was sent home after a sing-off with Italian Faustini, whose powerful performance got him through to the final with a comfortable three votes from the judges.

Cheryl Fernandez-Versini was bought to tears watching her act sing Faith Hill’s There You’ll Be but it wasn’t enough to stir the other judges who all chose to keep Faustini in the competition.

With her arm around Fernandez-Versini, Platt told her mentor that she was “the most incredible woman I have ever met in my life”.

She added: “Thank you for giving me this opportunity and for sticking with me through this opportunity.”

A relieved Faustini told the audience: “I’m just so glad I came to England that day.”

Platt had attempted to hide her nerves during two melodic performances on the Christmas special last night after she was voted in to the bottom two last week but she admitted that it ``had got to her''.

Simon Cowell told her he “made the right decision” by saving her last week but said he “couldn’t argue with Andrea’s passion”.

A show-stopping performance from East last night accelerated her in to joint favourite alongside Haenow, according to bookmaker’s Coral.

She ruled the X Factor stage in last night’s semi-final with Cowell hailing her feisty performance as one of the top three in the show’s 10-year history.

Taking a risk on a last-minute song change paid off for the strong singer when she stormed on to the stage to deliver an energetic dance routine and pitch-perfect vocals to Mark Ronson’s little-known Uptown Funk.

Tonight’s episode featured Cowell’s new female band Fifth Harmony, from X Factor USA ,who made their UK television debut with their new hit Boss, a tribute to Michelle Obama, to rapturous applause from the judges.

The American group were followed by last year’s winner Sam Bailey, who performed her new single She with just a piano.

Crooner Michael Buble made a surprise performance with Forzen singer Idina Menzel for a cosy performance of Baby, It’s Cold Outside.