The definitive proof that X Factor's Mary Byrne really was robbed: Figures show she had bigger vote share than Cher at semi-finals

By Sara Nathan


Scroll down to see full results table...


Kicked out: Mary Byrne would have been in the final four rather than Cher Lloyd if the format hadn't been changed, pictured here last night at the X Factor wrap party in London's Soho


The X Factor voting patterns show viewers were right to be raise concerns that producers were shaping the show’s results by altering the format.

Voting figures released late last night show that Mary Byrne did place higher than Cher Lloyd in the semi-finals, with 14.99 per cent of the vote compared to Cher's 11.57 per cent.

Traditionally the outcome of the semi-finals is decided solely by public vote but this year the show brought in a sing-off at the last minute.

Had producers stuck with the traditional format then Miss Byrne would have had a place in this weekend’s final.


RESULTS IN RED: Who went each week | RESULT IN BLUE: Who survived despite having lowest vote share | Deadlock in wks 4 & 6 so public decided | 15, 448, 019 total votes


Thousands accused the show of being fixed because viewers had no idea about the change in format and had believed they were solely in charge of who went through to the final.

Many felt the show had been adapted to ensure that Miss Lloyd, who both Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole have tipped for stardom, was in the final.
Even Miss Byrne has said she felt that the final was ‘a young person’s show’.

The semi-final voting pattern shows that Matt Cardle was the clear winner with more than 35 per cent of the vote, followed by Rebecca Ferguson with 26 per cent, and One Direction with 17 per cent.

But Miss Byrne, 51, secured 15 per cent of the vote compared to around 11.6 per cent for Miss Lloyd.

The figures also suggest the controversial contestant Katie Waissel was regularly the bottom placed contestant – despite judges insistance that she was the one people wanted to see, and repeatedly saving her.

Fans will be concerned to learn that in the week when Cheryl Cole caused fury by refusing to choose between her two acts – Miss Waissel and TreyC Cohen – the former was actually bottom placed.

Many fans questioned why Miss Cole refused to vote – and suggested that in that situation it would be fairer to have gone with the public vote rather than allowing a majority decision from the other three judges.


Unfair? Cher and Mary as they waited to hear the judges' decision


Back on the tills: Mary returned to her former place of work today, Tesco in Ballyfermot, Dublin, where she was given a homecoming welcome by the locals


Party time: Winner Matt Cardle, runner-up Rebecca Ferguson, controversial contestant Katie Waissell and Treyc Cohen all celebrated the end of the show at the Studio Valbonne night club


Boys and girls: One Direction's Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Zain Malik and Niall Horan and girlband Belle Amie, from left Rebecca Creighton Sophia Wardman, Geneva Lane, Esther Campbell


That week Miss Cohen, 20, received 3.53 per cent of the vote, while Miss Waissel, polled 3.22 per cent.

A record 15.4 million votes were cast over the course of the series.

This year’s winner Matt Cardle won the vote almost every week, apart from in the first week when Miss Byrne did.

Runner-up Rebecca Ferguson was regularly in second place.The X Factor and ITV have always insisted that no one on the judging panel is aware of details about how the voting is taking shape.

The show's executive producer is understood to be the only person to see the full break down of results each week.


Suited and booted: Aiden Grimshaw, Paije Richardson, John Adeleye and Xtra Factor presenter Konnie Huq



Source:Dailymail