The X Factor: twins and tantrums at auditions!

The X Factor: twins and tantrums at auditions!
The X Factor: twins and tantrums at auditions! (Image credit: Ken McKay)

The third week of X Factor 2010 has produced some of the series' most memorable moments yet, as auditions travelled to London and Birmingham. And among the highlights of this week's show were several sets of identical twins hoping for the same kind of success as John and Edward in 2009. Most of them were sent packing, although one pair, French duo Twem, had the audience on their feet with their rendition of Lady Gaga's Just Dance - although Simon remained unimpressed. "This is the effect you're having on Europe," he told Louis, "The two monsters you created are now spreading across Europe." In the end though the pair won through to boot camp thanks to the support of Cheryl and Louis. "You thoroughly brightened up my day - it's a yes from me," Cheryl told them. Also dividing the judges was Storm Lee, who journeyed all the way from Los Angeles to audition on the show. The 37-year-old - who was born Lee Gardner in Scotland - failed to impress the panel during his rendition of Every Breath You Take, but fared better when given the chance to sing a second song. "I'm not going to call you Storm because I think it's a stupid name," Simon said - but he still put him through to the next round. At the Birmingham auditions there were some familiar faces returning for a second chance, including call centre worker Treyc Cohen who reached the judges' houses stage in 2009. She sailed through to boot camp as did Liam Payne, who got to the judges' houses in 2008 when he was just 14 years old. This time around, his performance of Cry Me A River won him a standing ovation from both Simon Cowell and guest judge Natalie Imbruglia. Also impressing the judges was 16-year-old Cher Lloyd, who overcame her nerves to deliver a lively performance of the Soulja Boy song Turn My Swag On. "You were born to be a pop star," Louis told her, while Cheryl described it as "my favourite audition so far". However housewife Patti Eleode fared less well with her version of the Bond theme For Your Eyes Only - while the audience loved her out of tune singing, the judges weren't so sure. "The good news is people like you and you're always going to enjoy singing," Simon said, "but you'll have to do it alone." Teenage duo Ablisa - consisting of friends Abbey Johnston and Lisa Parker - also made their mark, but for all the wrong reasons. The pair stormed off stage after being booed by the audience before they had even started singing - and when they did return, neither their performance of Shayne Ward's That's My Goal nor their behaviour impressed the judges. "You two have the worst attitude of any contestants we have ever had on any of these shows," Simon told the pair. However their time on stage came to an abrupt end when they hit out at Natalie Imbruglia for calling their singing "not great". "Who are you may I ask?" Lisa raged, before the girls themselves came to blows on stage, Abbey punching Lisa in the face before they finally walked off.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.