X Factor: Gary Barlow offers Sam Callahan encouragement

They may not have seen eye to eye in previous weeks - but Gary Barlow had some words of support for X Factor finalist Sam Callahan on Saturday night.

The Take That singer admitted he had not been a fan of Sam's performance of George Michael's Faith in the show's Great British Songbook week.

However he did praise the 19-year-old for following his dreams in spite of the continued negativity.

"You got the guitar wrong at the beginning, you were out of time," Gary told him.

The problem is that everyone else is progressing at such a rate and I don’t think you’re progressing as quickly at the moment, but let me say this when I think back to when I was 19 was I the best singer or the best song writer?No far from it, but I had an opportunity back then and I took that opportunity and who knew it would lead to this," he added.

"You have an opportunity right here right now, you are coming back every week, you are a little fighter, you take the comments on and I respect you for that. Good luck to you."

Sharon Osbourne, meanwhile, told Sam that he looked 'defeated'.

"You did everything your way and you’re brave to have done that," she admitted.

"You are still in this race but let me see it in your face."

Sam will learm his fate - along with the other six remaining acts - on Sunday night's X Factor results show which kicks off at 8pm.