X Factor goes live

Updated 17.02 Fri Oct 10 2008

Keywords: itv1, songs, clue, eoghan, scott, ashley, boys, x factor, music, showbiz, entertainment

X Factor excitement is reaching fever pitch as the talent show goes live this weekend.

Judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole have whittled the contestants down to the last 12, and the performers know there is no room for mistakes as they prepare for the first live show on Saturday.

Essex boy Austin Drage, 21, is the hot favourite among the boys, closely followed by Irish 16-year-old Eoghan Quigg.

Scott Bruton is the 33-1 outsider to win the competition, but fans of the ITV1 show know anything can happen as nerves start to get the better of the hopefuls.

The boys are staying tight-lipped about what they will be singing, but Austin's choice will be an "80s classic", Scott will cover a song from the 60s and and Eoghan has opted for a song voted one of the top 100 all-time greats.

Last year's winner Leon Jackson is also due to appear on the show.