The actress was upset after being voted off the show

Sanderson, struggling with tonsillitis, lost to a quartet of chefs whose "boyband" style has won admirers despite their lack of singing ability.

Louis Walsh, a judge on the ITV1 show, decided to keep the chefs for "entertainment value".

Sanderson, who performed Whitney Houston's Run To You, vowed to stay in acting after being voted off the show.

Acting

She said afterwards: "I have enjoyed everything, but I don't think I am going to be doing music. I think I am going to stay with acting."

The chefs, Aldo Zilli, Paul Rankin, Ross Burden and Jean-Christophe Novelli, performed Dean Martin's Amore.

Judge Simon Cowell said afterwards: "In food terms, it was the equivalent of a souffl� that has been dropped on the floor."

The chefs will compete against England and Bath rugby player Matt Stevens, former EastEnders star Lucy Benjamin and Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles to win the show.