Boy band Futureproof have made a shock exit from The X Factor after finding themselves in the bottom two alongside fellow group Hope. Both acts - made up of singers who had auditioned for the show as solo performers and been rejected at the boot camp stage - had been tipped to do well, with Futureproof the favourites to win at the start of the live shows. Sharon's remaining act, Alisha Bennett, had been tipped to go after being saved by the judges for the past fortnight - but this week she managed to escape the bottom two. Futureproof had received a mixed response from the judges earlier in the evening for their rendition of Can't Take My Eyes Off You, with Louis criticising the band's lack of movement on stage. They later reprised the performance in a bid to stay in the competition, while Hope once again performed the Madonna song Hanky Panky. Afterwards, both Louis and Sharon voted to send Futureproof home while Dannii opted for Hope - leaving Simon, the groups' mentor, with the casting vote. However, Simon showed little emotion as he chose which act would leave. "I'm going to make this decision on who I think has got the best long term potential," he said, before voting to send Futureproof home. Dermot O'Leary told the boys afterwards he was "shocked" to see them go. "We're shocked too," said band member Sean, "but everybody's game was higher, tonight." However they remained optimistic. "There's a reason we're called Futureproof," Aaron told Dermot, "this is only the beginning for us and you know that as well as we do." Eight acts now remain, with Dannii Minogue the only mentor who has yet to see one of her performers eliminated.
