THE X FACTOR - BAD LASHES ARE FIRST ACT TO LEAVE X FACTOR

BAD LASHES ARE FIRST ACT TO LEAVE X FACTOR

Female group Bad Lashes have become the first act to be voted off the new series of the X Factor.

The quartet found themselves in the bottom two with Girlband on Saturday night's show and split the judges, with each act receiving two votes.

With both acts tied, the power was put back in the hands of the TV audience and with more viewers voting for Girlband, Bad Lashes became the first act to leave the show.

Having been voted into the bottom two after their first performance - a cover of Roxette's It Must Have Been Love - Bad Lashes' Stacey Lincoln, Sophie Wilson, Emily McNamee and Sam Bennett opted to perform a new song to attempt to save their place in the competition.

However, their rendition of Wonderwall was not sufficiently impressive to wow the judges and Girlband will return for next week's live show.

"They're two very good groups, that's why I picked them," said mentor Louis Walsh. "I am devastated for the girls - they had so much more to give."

Former X Factor winner Steve Brookstein yesterday criticised the show, calling it a "form of bear-baiting".

"It is sad that there are going to be people who are going to be publicly humiliated," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I've been banging the drum about what it's about - people shouldn't call in and they shouldn't waste their money."