The X Factor Blog: The Final Countdown

After endless hours of tiresome cliches, dull contestants and Louis Walsh's ever changing hair we have finally made it to the end. In what was of the longest weekends of our lives, (2 hours on Saturday night AND 2 hours on Sunday? Ridiculous) we had our winner crowned.  James Arthur, that of the awful glasses, shirt pulling and the "I realllllllllllly mean these lyrics, man" beats little ol' Chicken Jahmene and everybody's favourite 80s crooner Christopher Maloney. Who topped the vote for the first 7 WEEKS. Impressive.

The musical guests were a real let down as most of them had been on the show already this series. I can't have Rhianna, One Direction or Emili Sande shoved down my throat any more. The show was over bloated, contained little singing from the finalists and was a bit of a damp squib in the end.

Let go Kye!

Personally, I was rooting for Jahmene but I was not bothered at all by who won. Lacklustre is the best way I can describe this series. It just seemed like a massive disappointment, partly due to the average acts, but the blame mostly falls on the judges who are now convinced that they are the real stars of the show.

Nicole has been nothing short of fantastic this year; what a revelation and thank goodness she was there because without her the live shows might have crumbled. Gary, while a very credible recording artist you can't help feeling the first live results show put the nail in the coffin for his X Factor career. Tulisa was getting worse and worse press as the series went on; and she wasn't totally blameless.  She was looking defeated before Ella went and afterwards she obviously didn't care. And Louis Walsh. Even he has clocked on how bloody ridiculous he is, now in on the joke he is pointless.

It's a show that I will tune in again for when the new series rolls around. There was a time when I claimed I'd not watch it anymore or at least not as much but I get sucked in every time. EVERY TIME. The problem is though it's not must see TV anymore; and until it finds that missing piece that makes the X Factor fun again, people will continue to turn off. I'm not sure if Simon's return would have the effect they are after; saying that though people tuned in for Britain's Got Talent to see his return (personally, I thought it was a weak series but I'm not sure anything will ever top Diversity v Su-Bo).

There's loads of time to talk about how to make X Factor better but for now I'm just looking forward to a small break from it. James Arthur, good luck. The male winners of X Factor haven't been bad but they've definitely been unlucky. See if you can break the curse.

Now on to The Voice which is back for a new series. Good?