Eton Road's fate rested with Simon Cowell

The Liverpool four-piece failed to win the judges' backing as they battled to survive against singer Ben Mills.

The group's mentor, Louis Walsh, pledged to land them a recording contract despite their exit, which leaves four hopefuls in the contest.

In BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, former Emmerdale star Claire King became the eighth celebrity to be sent packing from the competition.

Praised

Partnered by Brendan Cole, the actress's Samba was described as "clumsy, limp, lack-lustre and on occasion embarrassing" by judge Craig Revel Horwood.

Fellow judge Arlene Phillips called their effort "a Samba from Southsea, not Sao Paolo".

The musical theme on The X Factor was songs from the movies, with each of the remaining five acts performing two songs for the first time.

Scottish singers the MacDonald Brothers were praised by judge Simon Cowell for their rendition of Proclaimers hit Five Hundred Miles following weeks of fierce criticism.