[Red Moon]

X Factor favourite Alex strains voice

The strain is showing on X Factor favourite Alexandra Burke, as she admitted on Monday night she is having problems with her voice.

She told an audience at a private gig: 'I hope you feel better than I do' before singing only one song instead of the scheduled two.

But she fared slightly better than Aston Merrygold, the 20-year-old lead singer of JLS, who has lost his voice and mouthed along to his band's performance.

Talking to Metro, Alexandra insisted: 'I am fine, I'm just a bit run down and I don't want to overdo it before Saturday.

I had a late night after the show last Saturday and couldn't sleep because of all the adrenaline.'

She also admitted it was very scary being the bookies' favourite.

Despite that, she gave a powerful performance of You Are So Beautiful at the gig held at the Oxford Street store of programme sponsors Carphone Warehouse.

When Aston was asked about his health, he couldn't even reply.

His bandmates said: 'He can't speak.'

The finalists confirmed they didn't get to talk to Britney Spears on Saturday.

Eoghan Quigg said: 'We didn't get a chance to meet her but it was great to see her.'

Jonathan Gill of JLS said: 'It was just great to be on the same stage she had performed on.'

The boy band wowed two teenage girls by dragging them on stage to serenade them with Stand By Me.

Diana Vickers looked like she was having most fun, especially singing Blondie's Call Me.

She also sang Man In The Mirror by Michael Jackson - wearing 6in orange heels.

'I'm determined to do my best because it could be my last show on Saturday,' she confessed.

Source: Metro