Hopeful Hylton booted off X Factor

1:26pm Sunday 23rd November 2008

X Factor hopeful Rachel Hylton became the seventh contestant to be booted off the show - amid a bitter row between the judges.

Her mentor, Dannii Minogue was reduced to tears by the war of words, which blew up after it emerged that two acts had wanted to perform the same song.

In an evening dedicated to revived boy band Take That, it emerged that both Hylton and group JLS had wanted to perform their 2007 hit Rule the World.

Fellow judge, and mentor of boy band JLS, Louis Walsh, accused the Australian of "nicking" the song from his act, who joined Hylton in the bottom two.

Even Simon Cowell was drawn into the row, telling Walsh he was "whining". "This song was changed 24 hours ago because of a mix up between you and Louis," he told the band.

"To be put in that position at this stage in your career is unforgivable. We do take it in turns, Dannii made the right choice, Louis, if you don't like it, tough. You're always whining and complaining. You two have to kiss and make up."

Walsh's band were forced into an emergency performance of another song by the band - Million Loves Songs - with just 24 hours notice, but won over the judges with their rendition of Sean Kingston's reggae hit Beautiful Girl.

Minogue was the only member of the judging panel to vote to keep the mother-of-five on the show, after she optimistically sang And I'm Telling You (I'm Not Going) by Jennifer Holliday.

But Simon Cowell cast a deciding vote to send the wannabe home. He told the 27-year-old Londoner he was swayed by her finishing in the bottom two three times. "This is tough," he said. "I have been a fan of yours since you came on this show, but it has been three times."

Hylton, who has battled with drug addiction and a spell in prison, put a brave face on her exit, saying: "I'm fine, someone has to go home."