[Red Moon]

Why so glum, Diana? X Factor favourite feeling the strain of being in the final five

She's only 17-years old and starring on one of the most popular TV shows in Britain, but it appeared Diana Vickers had the weight of the world on her shoulders today.

The Blackburn student looked glum as she walked home from the shops with some groceries back to The X Factor house in north London.

Perhaps the stress of being in the final five in this year's X Factor is getting to the teen, who has been accused of cheating by some critics.

Dressed in a flowery dress, cardigan, leggings and sandals, Vickers looked freezing as she walked in the chilly 5 degrees temperature.

Vickers was given permission by producers to sit out of week five after being deemed 'too ill' to perform when she was struck down with laryngitis.

The seriousness of her illness was called into question when she was filmed yelling and screaming at a fireworks night party just a few days earlier.

Conspiracy theorists suggested she was given preferential treatment to keep her in the show for longer, and deliberately allowed to miss the Mariah Carey themed night that could have been a struggle for her voice.

When she returned the following week to sing Coldplay’s Yellow, judges Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell said it was evident she had not fully recovered from illness.

She told this week's New! magazine: 'It was the hardest thing ever and so upsetting. On the Saturday morning I had a meeting with the producers and said, "If it means I'll have to go, I will gladly get on that stage."

'I was desperate to sing, so would never have pretended to be poorly.'

Further fuelling her negative press are claims she is cheating on her boyfriend Chris Jones, 18, with Northern Irish contestant Eoghan Quigg, 16.

On Sunday night, the youngsters were spotted in the back of a taxi together, with Quigg clutching a red rose.

Vickers has laughed off the rumours, insisting she and Quigg are just friends.

She told the magazine: 'We're just like bezzie mates, like little brother and sister.

'Chris has met Eoghan a couple of times and they get on well. It's fine.'

Meanwhile, a cheerier Ruth Lorenzo was all smiles when she was photographed outside the X Factor house.

The Spanish singer beamed for photographers as she stepped out to run some errands.

Louis Walsh's boy band JLS were also spotted outside the X Factor house, dressed in colourful JLS uniforms.

Bandmembers Marvin Humes, Jonathan 'JB' Gill, Oritse Williams and Aston Merrygold complimented their primary coloured JLS t-shirts with matching trainers.

Source and Pictures:Daily Mail