So the X Factor live shows are well underway now and last week saw four hopefuls booted off, thanks to this year’s ‘big twist’, so now it’s time to push on with the charity single.

In 2011, the contestants – including those who didn’t make it through last week – will be covering 1978 hit Wishing on a Star by Rose Royce to raise money for ACT & Children’s Hospices UK.

This will be the fourth charity single done by X Factor, with previous covers including David Bowie’s Heroes and You Are Not Alone by Michael Jackson. Those looking at the X Factor betting will keep a close eye on things.

Show creator Simon Cowell said he was “thrilled” this year’s finalists will be helping out the charity, which he says does “amazing work”.

Craig Colton, the current male bookies’ favourite to win the show, said: “It’s an honour to record this song, and an honour to be a part of a charity with such a great cause.”

Sophie Habibis, meanwhile, said she loves the song and “can’t wait to release it”, adding that she hopes it does well and raises plenty of money.

In the past couple of years, the money raised has gone to Help for Heroes, with Hero by Mariah Carey becoming the fastest-selling charity single in a decade back in 2008.

This year’s charity offers support and palliative care to children and young people who aren’t expected to live to adulthood. People following the X Factor odds will be pleased the finalists are giving something back.

Barbara Gelb, CEO of the charity, said they were “delighted” to be the recipient’s of the programme’s fundraising efforts. “The money raised from this single gives us the opportunity to improve the lives of these children and families,” she said.

The single is available to download from November 20th and features vocals from all 16 finalists on the show, including favourites Janet Devlin and Misha B.

X Factor judge Kelly Rowland has revealed that she’s looking for a “global star” to emerge from this year’s show.

The former Destiny’s Child singer made it clear that she doesn’t share the same view as her co-judge Tulisa Contostavlos, who believes a UK star will come out of the programme.

In an interview with The Mirror, Kelly said: “Me and Tulisa will differ. I heard Tulisa say, ‘We’re looking for that next big UK star’, and I said, ‘Well I’m looking for the next international star because you can’t just put someone in a box, you give them everything they deserve.”

The singer said she wants to ensure the winning act scores international success, explaining that she wants them to be better than her, Lady Gaga and Beyonce. People looking to place an X Factor bet should remember this.

Kelly is very confident that the winner of this year’s X Factor could well be among the girls she is mentoring. “I haven’t got a winner, I’ve got some winners,” she said, describing the eight as “powerhouses”.

She said there are people in her group who have the potential to “give X Factor a completely different feeling” this year – presumably she’s referring to singers like Amelia Lily and Jade Richards, both of whom have very unique styles. Those following the X Factor odds should bear this in mind.

Kelly, again, reiterated the fact she won’t be taking any nonsense from the girls in her category, saying that she’s made it clear she wouldn’t deal with any diva-like behaviour, as was rumoured to have been seen in Cher Lloyd and Katie Waissel last year.

If the bookies’ favourites are anything to go by, the winner will almost certainly come from Kelly’s category with Janet Devlin, Amelia Lily and Melanie McCabe all featuring high up on the list.

Yes, they really are at it again – this year’s X Factor contestants are already putting in the overtime to make sure their sob stories get a good media airing!
Never was there a better time than this time last year, when Simon Cowell was reported to have put a ban on sob stories- cue significantly less blubbing and irritation in the run-up to the judges’ houses stage. But unfortunately, with Cowell out of the picture, it seems sob stories are very much getting the thumbs up this year.

The worst thing is, it’s not even like you can avoid them by skipping through the spiel having purposefully Sky-plussed the show and stopped at the first ad break. This year, they’ve taken to spilling their guts to every tabloid in the country and every news provider has managed to flood the internet with their inane life stories and the hardship they’ve had to face along the way. Those looking at the X Factor winner odds will be wondering if the victor really will have a hard luck story.

Of course, some people do have a genuine and depressing sob story to tell – but there are very few viewers who feel the contestants telling their tale of woe does anything for their singing talent, surely?

We’ve had 19-year-old Misha Byron – who would’ve been amazing even if we didn’t know her parents had abandoned her and she’d been raised by her aunt and Lascel Wood – again, with an amazing voice – who grew up in foster care, because his mum suffers from bipolar disorder.

But the sob story winner by far, as she’s the one who’s successfully sold her story to the papers, has to be Kitty Brucknell.

The hopeful has managed to divide the public as well as Marmite – claiming those who dislike her (and have been sending her death threats!) are envious of her beauty and confidence. Ah yes, Kitty, what a great way to make people warm to you! The X Factor odds suggest she is not very popular.

And now her latest attempt at sympathy has come in the form of the 26-year-old opening up to the tabloids about the death of her brother. She explained that her sibling, Christopher, who died in a motorbike accident at the age of 13, was a “talented violinist” who dreamed of stardom.

“I feel like I’m going to set the bar really high just because my parents would never have even had me, if he was still alive.”

Only time will tell whether Kitty’s seemingly fame-hungry antics will see her crowned this year’s X Factor winner…

X Factor judge Gary Barlow has been forced to defend the panel’s decision to put Frankie Cocozza through to next stage of the competition.

Viewers have been complaining on online forums that the self-professed ladies’ man doesn’t have as strong a singing voice as some of the axed contestants, including John Adams and Lascel Wood.

But now Barlow has spoken out to defend Frankie, despite saying at boot camp that he wished the teenager’s singing voice were stronger!

He claimed the singer has star quality, which is why he was selected to progress in the competition.  Those looking at the X Factor odds should remember this.

“The way Frankie stands, the way he looks, the way he performs. He walks through the street and he is a star,” the Take That singer said.

“You don’t learn to do things like [he does], you just are that. He’s just got it.”

Unfortunately though, his words may not be enough to placate the followers of other hopefuls taking part in this year’s show, who feel Frankie’s arrogance seems to shine through far more than his talent.

The wannabe has even been slated by one of his friends, who claims that he sets a bad example to people watching.

Describing Frankie as a “party animal”, the pal told The Mirror that he has been warned about his actions, as “the things he gets up to aren’t a great example to children watching the show”.

That hasn’t stopped the singer ranking fairly highly on the bookies’ favourites list though, with the teenager only behind James Michael and Marcus Collins in the boys’ category.

The girls are still clearly leading the way though, with Janet Devlin the current favourite to win the show, closely followed by Amelia Lily and Melanie McCabe.