X Factor final 2015: how are the judges and acts feeling?


Ainhoa Barcelona
Content Managing Editor
December 11, 2015

This weekend the winner of the 2015 X Factor series will be decided. Who will take home the crown – Louisa Johnson, Che Chesterman or Reggie N Bollie?

With just a day to go before the contestants hit the stage for what could be their final performance, Louisa, Che, Reggie N Bollie and their mentors have been talking to reporters on the X Factor red carpet.

Cheryl Fernandez-Versini is convinced Reggie N Bollie have the X Factor, Rita Ora says she won't shut up if her girl Louisa wins and Nick Grimshaw has predicted what Adele will say to his act Che after the singer fluffed his Hello lines.

Meanwhile head honcho Simon Cowell, who has no remaining acts, reveals what he will bring back to the competition next year...

Cheryl and Reggie N Bollie

The Call My Name singer is proving sceptics wrong, taking her duo Reggie N Bollie to the final. At first some thought the pair wouldn't go far but the lovable stars are fast-becoming the nation's favourite guilty pleasure.

"These guys make you feel good and make you feel compelled to get up and dance," said Cheryl. "They make people excited and smile. For me The X Factor is about having something you can't put your finger on. Reggie and Bollie have the X Factor.

"This series for me has been completely different and it's because of these two. I'm excited to get to work just to look at their faces. I see them in the corridor and I'm like, 'Guuuuuys!'

"Now we're focused on going in for the win! I'm taking them as far as I can possibly stretch them this weekend. We're not going out on Saturday."

"We just want to top everything we've done in the past," said Reggie. "This weekend everyone should expect something massive because this may be the last time we perform on the show."

"We always want to put a smile on people's faces," added Bollie. "When you come to watch us live we want to make you happy, we want people to go home and say for a minute or two we made you forget about your worries."

Rita Ora and Louisa Johnson

Despite being on voice rest this week, Louisa, who is the bookies' favourite, is ready to take the stage by storm. The 17-year-old is determined to give it her all and will be performing a duet with her mentor Rita.

"Of course I'm going to be able to perform this weekend!" said Louisa. "I don't know where this 'I'm not gonna make it to the finals' thing has come from because I'm not not gonna make it! I'm so ready to perform. I've got a sore throat but it'll be gone by the weekend."

"I'm really, really grateful that people think I'm the favourite, but to be honest I don't really like to focus on it," she added. "I just want to focus on getting better each week. Thinking that I'm the favourite isn't going to get me to win it."

"That would be awesome though!" said Rita. "I don't think I'll ever shut up for a year. I'll be like, see Simon you picked the right girl! Regardless I think we've found a star anyway. You can't predict the future. It would be amazing for her to be the winner but I also don't think this will be the last time you see Louisa Johnson."

"With Louisa it hasn't been difficult," said Rita. "It's like having a seed and needing to plant it. It was just about making sure that what she has inside of her comes out in the right way. It was really natural and I hope that comes across because there was nothing forced. If Louisa doesn't like something, she won't do it."

Nick Grimshaw and Che Chesterman

Nick, likewise, is experiencing his first series on the show as a judge.

"It would feel amazing to win and for Che to win because he's so talented," said the radio host. "He's really great to work with and he's got one of the best voices I've ever heard, not just on the show. His voice is insane and undeniable so he has nothing to worry about."

When asked about the highlight of his X Factor experience, Che joked: "Meeting Simon was a big moment for me. No I'm only joking! I think getting through on the Sunday after I forgot my lyrics to Hello. That was the most relieved I've ever been because the whole night I just thought about it. It was a horrible moment. The biggest song on the planet and I forget the lyrics!"

"She'll understand won't she?!" said Che, who is set to meet Adele this weekend when she graces the X Factor stage.

"She'll have a laugh," said Nick. "She'll probably like it. You don't want someone to do your song better, so she'll probably be like, 'Nice one.'"

"I feel really confident," added Che. "I performed at the Royal Albert Hall the other day and walking out of there was unbelievable and I felt fine, so I think that's set me up for going out to Wembley. I'll just do what I do and have fun and be relaxed and chill out."

© Photo: Rex

Simon Cowell

With no acts left in the competition, Simon is remaining impartial and has been leaving it to the public to decide. The head honcho has been listening to viewers' comments and says he plans to make some changes for next year's show.

"I think people miss the small rooms so we'll go back to that," said Simon. "I think the thing that worked best was that the talent was great, and people liked the six-chair challenge."

Managing to bag Adele for the weekend – as well as One Direction, Coldplay, Leona Lewis and other stars – has been the highlight of this series.

"It took me a while to think and make up my mind if I wanted Adele," joked Simon. "Are you kidding? When we got the news and I had to keep quiet last weekend, it was like, this is the best news I've had all year. She will absolutely cap off what I hope will be an amazing weekend and actually it's really the best of British. It's Adele, Coldplay, One Direction, Leona Lewis. It's the biggest artists in the world. It's going to be sensational."

The X Factor is on at 8pm on Saturday and Sunday night this weekend.

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