Shock as Paije makes X Factor exit

Mon 22 Nov 2010 at 10:23

Paije "Soul man" Richardson has made a shock exit from the X Factor in the results show.

The singer found himself in the bottom two along with early favourite Cher Lloyd after his rendition of The Beatles' Let It Be failed to impress viewers.

The student gave a moving performance of Stop, once released by Jamelia, in a bid to save himself in the sing-off but the judges opted to keep Lloyd in the competition.

The 20-year-old told host Dermot O'Leary: "Obviously I didn't have the support of the public. I am grateful for them keeping me in this long."

The show's judges all agreed the pair did not deserve to be in the bottom two.

Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh all voted to send Richardson home while his mentor Dannii Minogue opted to send home Lloyd.

Cowell said: "Neither of you deserve to be in the bottom. I am going to go with the person who I have continually supported. I am going to send home Paije"

Walsh added: "I have always believed in Paije. From day one I saw something special but Cher, in the sing off you were incredible."

Lloyd sung Shakespears Sister's song Stay to save herself. It is the second time she performed the song on this year's competition.

Bookies had Katie Waissel, who has been in the bottom two on three occasions, and Wagner Carrilho as favourites to leave the show but both managed to scrape into the top six.