Yeah, that's where them doing a sing off would help then, I reckon the voting public are more likely to vote on that then on the night befores performance.

The judges could have what they did on American Idol, where they have one save and can use it to save someone but only once through the whole thing.

I agree with that

Considering there's a 50/50 chance of saving the bottom one each time it's not impossible. And I find your response very rude in its wording.

Of course The X Factor is staged to a certain degree, the judges don't mentor to the level that they are made out to. And yes, the producers have final say on what happens. But to say the votes are fixed is very cynical indeed. Especially when you start thinking the producers want to purposely push a lesser favourite for the win, and sabotage a popular one. There's simply no reason for it. If an act is popular they are more likely to bring in revenue when the show is over.

If the producers fixed the voting as much as they are accused of doing then Misha B would have made that final without a shadow of a doubt.

I believe the judges know what the outcome of the public vote is and the producers attempt to sway them to make better TV. It definitely happened when Simon was on the panel anyway, otherwise I don't think theres any way that he would have let it go to deadlock when it was Ruth v Girl Band or Bad Lashes (forgot which) after Ruth did her Purple Rain performance, and Simon really liked her. Another example is when it was Jedward v Lucy, apparently he was pushing Cheryl to save Jedward so he could keep his 'credibility', send it to deadlock and Lucie leaves the competition, show gets in the headlines due to shock exit but Cheryl refused to do it.

Didn't Ruth do Purple Rain against that other girl who was an early fave?

Anyway, I agree with you. I think the judges know EXACTLY who has done well in previous weeks. The Daily Star told us WEEKS ago that Janet had won the first 4 public votes, remember? THEY WERE PROVED RIGHT. I am conviced that to even things up in favour of the poorly supported Misha, who the judges wanted in the final, they put Janet on at the start of each show and Misha on at the end, until the semi anyway. That as much as anything cost Janet her place. We all know about the importance of the running order. Further, Barlow's criticism of Janet started around the same time, gradually eroding her confidence. The fact that Cowell supported Little Mix for weeks is also an indication of them knowing how each act is doing, and influencing the 'outcome'.

She obviously DID PREFER Misha over anybody, not just Janet! But she didn't have to 'save' Misha. She knew that BARLOW would vote Janet out too. The fact that they knew Misha was one of the least liked acts this year didn't stop them influencing the outcome of the sing-off in her favour every time.

she didn't know Gary would save Misha unless it was completely fixed beforehand.

Of course its fixed beforehand otherwise it was quite convient last year when Katie was bottom of the votes that the other act would be voted out 3-1,and when she scraped 2nd from bottom then it would go to deadlock.