Matt Cardle is back with his old girlfriend...

X Factor's high-pitched favourite, Matt Cardle, has secretly started to see his ex girlfriend again, 24-year-old Lauren Cutmore, after dumping her just months before the start of the X Factor live shows.

The former painter and decorator was advised to ditch his four year relationship by X Factor bigwigs, believing that his single status would gain him a wider fanbase and boost his chances of winning Britain's biggest talent contest.

Proving that there was nothing more than hot air behind the weeks of speculation about a possible romance with fellow X Factor contestant Katie Waissel or Rebecaa Ferguson, Matt reportedly begged Lauren, "I've made a mistake - please give me a second chance."

And Lauren has confirmed that she's done just that, and fallen for Matt with the hat a second time, saying, "It's true that we've rekindled our romance. We're doing things in our own time and we want to keep things between us private. But, yes, we are ack on the good terms we were on before the show started." Bless...

So, what do you think HeatWorlders? Does that fact that hunk Matt has a girlfriend put you off voting for him, or were the X Factor bosses correct, would you be more likely to vote for him if you knew that he was single?

Wagner threatened to quit X Factor

BOOKIES have slashed the odds of Dudley singer Wagner winning the X Factor after a Facebook campaign was launched to back the Brazilian for the Christmas Number 1.

Having been ranked as 100-1 outsider ever since the live shows started, support for the eccentric former PE teacher has seen Wagner made fifth-favourite to win, with odds slashed to as little as 14-1.

Only Worcestershire's Cher Lloyd, Scouser Rebecca Ferguson, One Direction - the boyband fronted by Wolverhampton teenager Liam Payne - and Matt Cardle are more likely to win, say bookmakers.

Wagner is now more popular, according to bookies, than Tamworth's Treyc Cohen, Irish Tesco singer Mary Byrne and Aiden Grimshaw, the instense singer from Blackpool who wowed judges on the first week.

The confidence of the bookies appears to be in contrast to the reaction Wagner received in the X Factor studio last weekend when it was confirmed he would go through to the next round. Boos could clearly be heard in the audience. 

But bookmakers remain convinced it could be Wagner, and have Boylesports have reported 'a flood of money' on Wagner in the last few days.

Wagner has courted controversy ever since being handed a wildcard return to X Factor by judge Louis Walsh.

Most recently he was taped complaining that he'd never win the show because he isn't British and because Simon Cowell wants to win.

Wagner revealed this week that he had suggested he should quit after that tape was released.

Speaking of how he felt, Wagner said: "I said to Louis, 'The worst thing to a samurai is shame, do you want me to leave the show?' But he told me to stay."

Wagner says that the friend who sold the initial story on him is now 'Not talking' to him.

Hated Katie Gets Death Threats

KATIE Waissel's distraught dad Maurice claims the X Factor singer has had death threats because she's so hated by the public - and is losing the will to continue in the show.

He said: "I've had Katie sobbing on the phone to me every night. She's had death threats sent to her over the internet, and we've had to ask the police to intervene."

The 24-year-old singer - who famously said, "I just want to be a legend, I want to create a legacy" - found herself in the bottom three in the first live show and has been struggling to win over viewers since.

Her worried dad added: "Only the other night, Katie said to me, 'Dad, what's the point in going on if everyone hates me?'.

"Let's face it, X Factor has become a circus where only the strongest survive."

Katie, who is mentored by Cheryl Cole, has been particularly unpopular with fans since winning a place in the live shows with a dodgy performance at the judges' houses, ahead of fans' favourite Gamu Nhengu.

And she didn't help her cause when popular Matt Cardle blasted her for allegedly exaggerating a story about the pair spending a night together.

Meanwhile, X Factor choreographer Brian Friedman says he persuaded Katie to audition for the show after seeing her perform years ago in Los Angeles.

Brian said: "She was appearing at a club singing with Daniel Bedingfield and I was totally blown away. She was incredible.

"I went over to say 'hello' after the set and she said she was a fan of X Factor.

"I suggested she ought to audition for the show. She said she wasn't sure whether she should but I thought she was great."

Is Cher A Fraud ?

CHERYL STRUGGLING TO CONTROL X FACTOR’S 'STROPPY' CHER LLOYD

After a week of rows and infighting between her contestants, Cheryl Cole is said to be at her wits end over the warring singers and struggling to handle ‘stroppy’ Cher Lloyd, according to X Factor’s Sinitta.

The songstress has had a tough time on her hands, after act Katie Waissell came in the bottom two during the very first week, with the public turning against the star.

Now she’s reportedly battling with 'stroppy' Cher Lloyd, who is said to be ‘more difficult’ than any contestant she’s had before, and increasingly has her own ideas on how she would like to perform.

The songstress is reportedly trying to help, but refuses to ‘referee their fights and dramas’.

‘I think Cher wants to wear boyish clothes and people have tried to persuade her otherwise,’ X Factor's Sinitta revealed to OK! in a new interview, referring to Cher’s bust-up with the show stylist during the week one show.

‘Cheryl’s probably found Cher more difficult than previous contestants. 

‘You try and deal with their needs but you don’t need to end up feeling like you’re being abused or someone’s being rude.’

What John thinks:


Cher do us all a favour and close your legs!

Wagner - Is He Losin' It

'X Factor' finalist Wagner Carrilho has reportedly been recorded saying that the show is a "set-up".

The Sun has released a tape where the 54-year-old Brazilian contestant can allegedly be heard saying: "It stinks like a set-up. I don't think I will win because they won't let a Brazilian win."

He is also heard claiming that he is given bad song choices on the show, adding: "I never thought I could win anyway because I think this is more for some kind of British, English person, either a nice pretty girl or a boys' group."

He reportedly goes on to describe Simon Cowell as "the boss", accusing him of deciding who will eventually win the show and commenting: "Nobody tells Simon Cowell what to do. (…) Whoever wins it doesn't affect him because he earns the money anyway." 

Wagner, who was brought back to the competition as Louis Walsh's 'wild card' act, is currently the bookies' favourite to leave 'X Factor' this weekend. 

Some fans – including Yahoo! users – want Wagner to be voted off the competition. paulinedavies.1 said about Wagner on Yahoo! TV: "Shouldn`t be on the show anyway. Can`t sing", while walfordlewis commented: "Beats me how Wagner is still in the competition, he cant sing for penuts (sic). Makes me angry when you get someone like Gamu not getting through and people like him getting through."


What John thinks:


Get yer hands off Mary ........

Cat Fight

X Factor: Is There Tension Between Cher And Katie?

Despite being in the same group as one another on X Factor, rumours persist that Cher Lloyd and Katie Waissel are not getting on with one another.

Some sources are claiming this is due to Cher's determination to win the show with one telling Heat, "Cher's determined to win it, no matter what. It seems she's deliberately put a wedge between herself and the others. She's not there to make friends."

"Cher is very much the type to want to be the prettiest and most talented wherever she goes. She started wearing quite a lot of make-up and making her hair big because she got attention. It makes her feel...that no one can mess with her."

Even Cher's ex boyfriend, Alex Wallis, has claimed that Cher and Katie are not getting on.

He claims Cher does not know how to deal with Katie, saying: "She (Katie)is a bit hit and miss and can be two different people, a bit 50/50."

Katie is unlikely to start any rows if her Mother is to be believed though,

"Katie’s not confrontational. She’s very diplomatic - if she was in a situation, she would walk away. She’s all about karma. She doesn’t like bad karma." she said. 

What John thinks:

Everyone knows neither should be there, eventually the public will get its say .......

Matt Cardle - A Star In The Making

X Factor: Matt Cardle Worries Over 'Guilty Pleasure' Song

With the theme being 'Guilty Pleasures', (i.e. songs you like but probably shouldn't, musical snobbery basically) we're expecting a lot of less than cool songs on the Saturday show but Matt is particularly worried about his.

Speaking to the X Factor's official website, Matt said: "I'm not convinced of my song choice this weekend. It's as cheesy as it gets, man."

"But I'm going to try my best to put in a good performance. Last Saturday was great for me. I was still pretty wobbly in places and still really nervous, but I'm starting to get a handle on that."

Guilty Pleasures week is also rumoured to include a performance of the Footloose theme by Belle Amie and Wagner doing his rendition of 'Relax' by Frankie Goes To Hollywood.

What John thinks:


Its him or One Direction ......bye bye Katie, bye bye Cher