BB FANS

BBC

22 August 2005
Mirror
By Cameron Robertson

SHARON Osbourne and X-Factor trounced BBC1 rival Davina McCall in the first round of their Saturday ratings war.

The first episode of the new series of ITV1's talent show pulled in 6.6million viewers - 40 per cent of the audience.

Davina's new reality show He's Having a Baby, was watched by 2.4 million viewers - just 16 per cent.

The BBC defended the series which tracks eight men as they become dads.

A spokeswoman said: "It is a family show and is a unique format.

"It doesn't follow the traditional rules of a reality show and we are hoping people will join the fathers as they continue their journey."

Claudia Rosencrantz, ITV controller of entertainment, said: "The X-Factor has returned stronger than ever with a great mix of talent."

For the next 21 weeks Sharon, Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh will sit in judgment as contestants fight for a record deal. Pub singer Steve Brookstein, 36, was 2004 winner.

BUSINESS as unusual at The X Factor (ITV1, Sat night) where toes were curling long before the arrival of Tony Blair - the only man less welcome on a Saturday night than Graham Norton.

The signs were bad thanks to Kate Thornton (in an old denim outfit from Celebrity Wrestling), who is beginning to look worryingly like an overbleached blonde version of Penney Poyzer, the planet-saver from BBC2's No Waste Like Home.

Then Simon Cowell arrived in a car so huge the boot could hold a warehouse of unsold Steve Brookstein CDs.

Elsewhere, and just two days after Mark Feehily came out, Kate reminded us that "Louis Walsh has enjoyed huge success with Westlife".

The singing freaks were top drawer as ever, but I'm worried someone thinks the judges deserve more airtime. After sitting through 11 weeks of Big Brother morons chucking water at each other, I don't think I can watch the Asda mum and Louis doing likewise. Unless their mics are wired into the mains.

SundayMirror

SundayMirror
Aug 21 2005

By Zoe Nauman And Danielle Lawler

POP sensation Lemar Obika's older BROTHER is one of the hot favourites to win the new series of X-Factor, the Sunday Mirror can reveal.

Slick Derane Obika, 28, wowed judges Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh with his smooth, melodic voice.

And they tipped him to follow in his younger brother's footsteps, telling him: "You've got what it takes."

Viewers will see him breeze through to the second round when he appears on the ITV1 show in a fortnight's time.

He was one of 75,000 who auditioned for the show's second series, which kicked off last night.

Judges are hoping to find an international star from the reams of entries.

But Derane wasn't the only one with a famous relative to try their hand at stardom.

Welsh superstar Shirley Bassey's NEICE, Cadice Lechy, 22, from Cardiff, also gave it a go, but not with the same result.

A show insider said: "All she did was go on and on about Shirley Bassey and how because she was related to her she had a fabulous voice."