[Jack_]

...according to the Daily Star, Mary has never been out of the top two in the voting in the last three weeks, and she topped the vote in Week 1.

X FACTOR wannabes are begging producers NOT to sing alongside Mary Byrne this weekend - because they're convinced she's CURSED.

Every single act that has appeared in the same section of the show as Mary between ad breaks has slumped into the sing-off - or has gone home.

The contestants are convinced Mary's show-stopping performances mean viewers instantly forget the acts around her, and see performing with her as the new "coffin slot" on the show.

And we can exclusively reveal the wannabes are RIGHT to be concerned - with the Irish Tesco worker storming the public vote thanks to her countrymen supporting her in their millions.

The 50-year-old has never been out of the top two in the voting, and was the runaway leader in Week One when she sang James Brown's It's A Man's Man's Man's World.

Scary Mary's "curse" hit Nicolo Festa, 21, and Katie Waissel, 24, in Week One, when they both sang in Part Six of the show with Mary. Nicolo, who sang immediately after Mary, came last in the public vote, while Katie was saved in the sing-off.

In Week Two she and Belle Amie sang in Part Eight, with the girl band ending in the sing-off. And last weekend it was well-fancied Treyc Cohen, 25, who had to be saved by the judges after starring in Part Five with Mary.

One show source revealed: "You know the phrase 'follow THAT' - well that's how everyone feels coming on after Mary.

"She's pulling votes in by the million and is the surprise package of the show so far. It's spelling bad news for anyone who has to compete with her for the audience's attention.

"After all four of her rivals being jinxed, there's certainly no rush to be the one who tries to break the hoodoo.

"It used to be going first that was seen as the worst slot but many acts would happily go first if it meant keeping Mary away from them."

The running order is decided in the run-up to the show by senior producers, including Simon Cowell. Acts singing late in the show get more votes that those singing at the start, so the order has long been controversial among fans.

Sounds pretty likely to me. I reckon Matt, Aiden and Rebecca have been joining her in the top four.