The Ex Factor?

The X Factor : "An unknown or indefinable element. Often used in the entertainment industry to separate successful entertainers from less successful entertainers.

Getting Extraordinary Results from Ordinary People describes it 'the secret of getting ordinary people X-cited about going the X-tra mile to help their managers achieve X-traordinary results."

Okay. I understand the principle. I even like watching the programme BUT puhleeeeeese stop the formulaic crap attached to the final choices for the live shows. There is always a youngish guy who'll appeal to teen girls (Eoghan last year). There is always a fairly crap duet, this year some manic looking Irish twins. There is always a sob story - someone who's lost someone just as they were about to fill in their application form. Sad as these stories are, they should not be a reason for voting for them on what is supposed to be a 'singing' competition.

I said I would never watch Big Brother again and I didn't. It seems while I was thinking that, the whole nation was too and now BB will only run for one more season. I seriously think that if Simon and his crew insist on treating the viewing audience like idiots - eventually, they, we, will begin to resent it and vote with fingers changing the channel rather than our fingers dialling an overly expensive voting line. X Factor is at risk of becoming Ex Factor if they're not careful.