Widnes singer James Michael faced the bitter disappointment of heading out in the first week of the X Factor live finals after being sent packing by mentor Gary Barlow.

 

With three out of the four singers in the boys category being local, there was always a risk that one would not make it as far as week two after it was decided that the X Factor judges were forced to send one of their acts home.

 

Liverpool’s Craig Colton and Marcus Collins were

told they were safe by Take That singer Barlow, but

James was left out as his performance of The

Beatles ‘Ticket to Ride’ on Saturday night’s live show

failed to keep him in the competition.

 

Immediately afterwards, Gary Barlow told James on

stage: “You reinvented that classic. Congratulations,

be proud of yourself.”

 

However, 24 hours later, Barlow made his decision

“based on last night’s performance” and said he was

“so sorry” to let an emotional James go, while

Frankie Cocozza from Brighton stayed in.

 

Choking back tears, 20-year-old James said: “No

matter what, I’m going to carry on with my music.”

 

Next week, Liverpool contestants, Marcus Collins

and Craig Colton will face the public vote for the first

time in the competition.  

 

Craig’s cover of Christina Perri’s ‘Jar of Hearts’ was described by Barlow as the “number one performance of the night”, while Marcus received positive feedback from all four judges after his cover of Maroon 5’s hit ‘Moves Like Jagger’.

 

The live results show was host to guest spots by last year’s X Factor winner Matt Cardle, performing his new single, ‘Run For Your Life’, and CeLo Green gave a rendition of his hit single ‘Forget You’.

 

Other acts who also were eliminated on the night included Essex duo 2 Shoes, Middlesborough singer Amelia Lily, and soldier Jonjo Kerr.