Collectors Item

X Factor: The Old Queens and the New Queens

If the X Factor is to survive another season Louis Walsh will have to go. He's already been kicked off once; Simon Cowell promised he would never be back; Sharon Osbourne tossed water on him on live television; he's a grumpy old man - a grumpy old gay man. He sits there in his own wee world, he knows he's under siege by everyone, he takes notes. Takes notes? Notes for what? You're supposed to listen to the music, not write your memoirs! But Louis does this as his 'tell' - he's trying to run from his embarrassment.

And he's so spiteful. And so mean. Almost everyone he's ever worked with hates him. And he has to continually wag his tongue at the other judges and remind them of how many hits his (former) 'groups' have had. He's not wanted anymore.

Sorry, Louis. Bye, Louis. Won't miss you, Louis.

Simon's over the hill too. More and more his repugnant arrogance is becoming yesterday's worst news. His excruciating caution in meting out compliments together with his unabashed delight in insulting people doesn't work anymore. And his taste in music is atrocious. He's the one had Robson Green record a horrifying cover of Unchained Melody; he's the one who chose Leon Jackson's painful holiday single last year. Simon Cowell doesn't have it.

Unfortunately the X Factor is his show so if he's not smart (and he's not) he won't be turning over his chair to anyone else.

Then we have Dannii Minogue and above all Cheryl Cole. The new queens of the X Factor. (Simon and Louis are the old queens.). Watch Dannii and Cheryl talk to the artists. Their eyes don't waver all over the place furtively as especially Simon has to do. They look them straight in the eyes, often with a big beaming smile. They encourage the artists. They don't revel in putting them down. They nurture talent. And particularly in the case of Cheryl Cole they know what people want and how to get their artists to produce it.

Watch the 'Man in the Mirror' clip below. But don't watch the singer Diana Vickers - watch Cheryl Cole. She's literally beaming at Diana and sending messages across all the time. Watch how Diana answers her.

Watch the 'Call Me' clip immediately below and see the close contact Cheryl has with Diana.

Watch the 'Man in the Mirror' clip again, particularly the introduction, and watch how Cheryl wraps her arms around Diana so protectively. Cheryl's found an even higher calling.

Diana Vickers Week 4