So, just as expected, Andy's time finally ran out on this weekend's The X Factor. The doe-eyed Welshman is clearly a nice bloke but he had become exposed as the competition's weakest singer and an uncharismatic performer.
Andy Williams: 'the show's weakest singer'. Photograph: Ken McKay/Rex Features
The judges said Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars was the wrong song for him, but I'm not sure it was a question of material. Nothing he has sung has really come out right: Stayin' Alive was awful and This Guy's In Love With You last week was hardly top-drawer. The conclusion has to be that Andy wasn't good enough and he didn't help himself by wearing a T-short emblazoned with the word "Rock", the wardrobe malfunction of the night.
No surprise that Andy lost, then, but the shock on Saturday was Beverley's inclusion in the bottom two. From their faces before the judges' decision was made - Andy barely holding back tears, Beverley smiling radiantly - you could tell that they both knew who was about to be saved. But can Beverley afford to be complacent? She too could blame her lacklustre showing on her song - James Blunt's You're Beautiful. Not only an insipid song but one utterly unsuited to her voice, one of the best three in the competition.
And yet potential winners should never come in seventh. Beverley has to be worried now that she won't make it all the way. After her excellent rendition of Feeling Good last week, that's quite a turnaround in fortunes.
A quick rundown of the other remaining acts:
Niki: back to her best after last week's disappointing All That Jazz. Clearly pulling ahead of Beverley in the battle of the over-25 divas.
Same Difference: more insane campery from the brother and sister duo, as they took on I Don't Feel Like Dancing. There seems to be no immediate reason to doubt their future on the show, but the novelty appeal will surely wear off eventually.
Hope: frankly, these girls are not great vocally but the choice of Back to Black was inspired. Perhaps taking their cue from Alisha, who used an Amy Winehouse song last week to propel her recovery, Hope reinvented themselves and gained real credibility by ditching raunch for a bit of soulful sophistication.
Leon: more mediocre singing and appalling dancing, but he's not making any terrible errors and can count on the loyal Scottish vote that kept the McDonald brothers in last year's competition far longer than they deserved.
Alisha: another cute song choice - with Corinne Bailey Rae's Put Your Records On - and she now has a spring in her step. She hasn't quite got the vocal talent to go all the way, however.
Rhydian: his version of You Raise Me Up had him practically anointed this year's winner by the judges. I found the Westlife song rather leaden, but it was good to see him tone down the wackiness, as he was in danger of becoming this year's Chico, albeit with a far superior voice.
