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Daniel exits X Factor

28/10/2007

Rugged good looks were not enough to save 31-year-old Daniel De Bourg from The X Factor judges on the show's second live final last night.

The ballet teacher from London was chosen by both impartial judges, Dannii Minogue and Simon Cowell, after he and rival Alisha Bennett received the lowest number of votes.

His performance of Build Me Up Buttercup was a little lacklustre but most of the judges' comments focused on attacking the choice of song, picked by mentor Louis Walsh.

In the end Daniel, whose thwarted career in showbiz has received another setback, was sent home to the relief of Alisha – who survived for yet another week.

The 23-year-old received a warning from Cowell, however, who said her version of Say A Little Prayer was "one of my least favourite performances of the night".

Earlier, Niki, Beverley, Hope and Futureproof all stood out with impressive performances, but Andy and Emily received negative comments from the judges.

The night's standout performance, however, belonged to Rhydian Roberts, the operatically-minded 24-year-old from Wales.

His flourish-filled version of Phantom of the Opera wowed the audience – and the judges. Sharon Osbourne told him that "you're a much bigger drama queen than I am" while Walsh told him that he was one of few acts which were "head and shoulders above the rest".