14 DAY TRIAL // In a move that has gotten many X Factor fans terribly upset, producers of the show decided to hold a sing-off on Sunday, thus eliminating Mary Byrne and keeping Cher Lloyd on for the finals next week. Mary is now saying she knew she had to leave because producers wanted her out.
As we also reported the other day, despite the fact that the official page of the show said that it would be viewers’ vote that would decide who stayed on in the competition, the producers had a change of heart at the last minute and held a sing-off.
Three of the four judges voted to keep Cher on, which meant Mary was sent home – and which also meant all those fans who had voted for her had wasted their time and money to do so.
As complaints are being filed with Ofcom over this, since it’s illegal to deliberately mislead viewers, Mary says that she knew her time had come – as matter of fact, producers made of this no secret with her, she tells The Sun.
Mary is relieved she’s off the show but only because she got a record deal, which was why she was on it in the first place. Nevertheless, she’s sad her fans were lied to.
“When I was leaving the show, Simon came over and said, ‘I’m really sorry that you’ve got to go but you’ve got your album.’ I can’t wait to sit down and start working on it. I’m like a two-year-old, I’m so excited,” Mary says.
As for what the producers are claiming now, namely that the change to have a sign-off had been decided for weeks, Mary admits she only learned of it hours before the live results show.
“I was told on Saturday, because we were given our ‘save me’ songs. I got a bit stunned at first because I did think it was just public votes. I do feel sorry for my fans because they voted in their thousands, God bless them,” she says.
“I knew then my days were numbered. I hope I would have stayed in. The public have supported me right the way through, and if they had done it that way, it would have been great – but that didn’t happen,” Mary adds.
On the other hand, Simon Cowell says for the same publication that nothing out of the ordinary has happened: they did nothing wrong and, if viewers misunderstood, it was just an honest mistake.
After all, he says, whenever there was five people left in the competition, there would be a sign-off. However, this was the first time one was held on the semi-finals, which added more fuel to the fire.
“This is a lot of nonsense about nothing. I’m always looking for ways to keep the show fresh. It’s more exciting and gives more people a chance to win it. That decision was made long ago – five or six weeks ago,” Cowell says for the same publication.
As of now, viewers remain unconvinced. Ofcom is investigating the complaints received, and will be announcing a decision in the following days.