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31-10-2014 10:19 PM |
X Factor contestants face instant axe in Halloween twist (source: BBC Newsbeat)
X Factor contestants face instant dismissal on Saturday night's show if they fail to impress viewers in a Halloween elimination twist.
Voting lines will then reopen and the two lowest placed contestants will take part in the following night's sing-off as usual.
Simon Cowell has warned the acts they need to improve if they want to stand a chance of continuing.
The show is also being beaten in the TV ratings by Strictly Come Dancing.
Last Saturday's edition of X Factor trailed its BBC rival by two million viewers, while the Sunday results show was 1.6 million behind.
It has lost millions of viewers in recent years and even with the return of Cowell this year, Sunday night's programme was down 1.2 million viewers on the equivalent show last year.
Cowell broke the news about the instant dismissal to the remaining hopefuls at a meeting.
"There are no second chances," he said. "This is how important the conversation is now and how important the performance is on Saturday and Sunday.
"We decided to do this because I think you all need a bit of a wake-up call.
"And I think you've got to understand what I'm saying isn't just words, it's reality.
"You've all got to build up your game now and you've got to be the best you've ever been because this is really what the music business is like.
"You put out a rubbish record, it doesn't chart. If you do a rubbish performance on the night, you're out."
The dismissals mean the remaining 11 contestants will be cut to nine after this weekend.
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