[Red Moon]

X Factor final: Mystery surrounds final star duet line-ups

TONIGHT'S X Factor final has turned into pass the parcel - with top chart acts apparently refusing to sing with the remaining hopefuls.

Alexandra Burke, Eoghan Quigg and JLS were due to duet with famous stars, reported to be Beyonce, Westlife and Boyzone.

But it's claimed the chart stars have refused to sing with the acts they were assigned to.

Even X Factor boss Simon claims to be in the dark.

He said: "The line-up for Saturday has changed so much for different reasons now, even I don't know what's happening. You will have to wait and see."

A friend of JLS claimed: "The stars may be wary of the kids of the future and wary of losing face."

He claims that trouble began when Take That refused to sing with JLS.

He said: "I don't know why, whether they felt inferior or superior but they pulled out."
It was rumoured the Take That boys - Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Howard Donald - didn't want to do the show because Boyzone were also lined up to perform.

Westlife were then drafted in to sing with J L S, Boyzone we re paired with Irishman Eoghan and Beyonce was to duet with Alexandra, according to our source.

But Beyonce refused to duet with Alexandra so Westlife were given to her, while producers frantically looked for another act for JLS.

The source added: "Alex was better than Mariah Carey when she was on the show. Maybe Beyonce worried she'd be shown up."

While Rihanna, Duffy and Seal have all been mentioned, X Factor producers are keeping quiet as to who the final line-up of stars will be.

JLS, meanwhile, are looking for more Scots support tonight.

This week, the Record revealed that Marvin Humes' gran is Scottish. And lead singer Aston Merrygold was photographed in a Celtic top.

But he has revealed he only wore it because he lost a bet.

Before he went to stay in the X Factor house, he stayed at the London home of a family friend called John, who happens to be Scottish.

Aston said: "I only mentioned that English football seemed stronger than Scottish football this season and he wasn't too pleased.

"I went to my mum's that weekend and when I returned, he wouldn't let me in the house until I put on his shirt and said Celtic were magic."

The JLS boys have sworn revenge, with the help of Chelsea supporter Marvin's gran, whose family support Rangers.

Marvin said: "John can expect to wake up one morning with a horse's head on his pillow and it will be wearing a Rangers scarf."

The group hope their fans north of the Border vote for them tonight. Ortise Williams says he's so skint, he has no phone credit and couldn't even vote for himself.

Meanwhile, there was good news for Alexandra.

Her mum Melissa Bell, who has kidney failure and is on the kidney transplant list, aims to be in the audience tonight to cheer her daughter on.

Melissa, 44, won a Grammy as the lead singer of Soul II Soul.

Speaking yesterday, Alexandra said: "I am hopeful my mum can be there.

"She moved her dialysis to Friday to be strong enough to make it to the studio on the day."

Alexandra hasn't spoken much about her mum's illness, saying: "I don't want people to feel sorry for me.

"I don't want a sob story. I want my voice to speak for me.

"I'm well aware other people have troubles. I've got to focus and not let it get to me".
Alexandra has bravely offered to donate a kidney to her mum but Melissa has refused because it could prevent her daughter from having children.

The singer said: "Mum won't let me donate.

"Diabetes has killed every woman in my family and it is triggered by having kids.

"If I donate a kidney, I couldn't have a baby as I'd only have one kidney left to fight the disease."

The winner of tonight's X Factor will release Hallelujah on Monday to battle for the Christmas number one.

Fans will be able to pre-order the song at the end of the show.

The first X Factor show starts at 7.10pm tonight, with the results show on at 9.40pm.

Source: Daily Record

[Bells]

Some of the names sound potentially really good, but throwing all of them around really doesn't tell us much, and just gets us worked up over nothing. As usual.

Guess we'll just have to wait till tonight! I'm going out tonight as well, so will probably miss it! I always make sure I at least watch the final.