Cher finished and cue Simon.

"You know when I heard you were doing this song I had my doubts...."

Cue booes from audience

"but you know you really made it your own and it worked blah blah"

Cue cheers from audience

Same thing every week. As soon as he said the first sentence we knew he was going to end with something positive. He's been doing it every week. Its pathetic. Why do the audience behave like they'[re either in a pantomime or outside the Big Brother house.

Funnily enough I was thinking the same thing when he did it. He pauses for the booing, then smirks and starts telling Cher how wonderful she is whilst looking at Cheryl. In Simon's words, very predictable.

The audience have been horrible all through this series. Their screaming and shouting means we can rarely hear the judges at times when they actually have things constructive to say.

They're just pantomime boos which kind of tells you a lot about this show.

Well, the X-Factor is a bit of a pantomime to be honest

*nods*

It's all pantomime (but rather tiresome now). Someone who has been in the audience for the live shows said they are told to boo negative comments and cheer positive comments.

I presume because there are folk at the front holding up cards to the audience saying "Boo", "Clap", "Hiss" or whatever it is they want the audience to do. This is standard audience manipulation for live shows isn't it?

Edit : "Snap" to previous comment

At times I do think I'm watching a childs' pantomime. I keep expecting them to shout, "it's behind you" at any point,

Rent-a-chav audience have been terrible this year.

edit- ok, posted without reading replies. We all agree it's a pantomime then. Except an actual pantomime is at least entertaining, and the booing and hissing aimed at 6 year olds, rather than adults.

I totally agree with you

Simon Cowell - the Villain
Louis Walsh - Buttons
Cheryl Cole and Danni Minogue - the Ugly (inside, anyway) Sisters

Yes, they get the audience they deserve

I was in the audience yesterday and I can let you all know that for effect we are told to cheer, and boo if you want, both over Dermot and the judges comments as well as generally during the acts. It's not the fault of the audience, it's the producers and it's definately not a 'rent-a-chav audience'

On the density of pig sh1t scale - probably somewhere near the top.

Really? it's spoiling the show

They should gas the audience as soon as the cameras stop rolling on each edition. Bring round a fresh one for the next week. There's more than enough doltage amongst us that the UK wouldn't notice any adverse difference as a result of this policy, probably on the whole benefit in fact.

That's utter rubbish. The X Factor has enough money for electronic signboards.

People holding up cards is far too downmarket for Simon Cowell!

I wish the audience would be 'their own people', regardless of the cards that are held up telling them what to do. I mean, how can they let themselves be controlled like that as if they were robots or zombies, unable to think for themselves. It's insulting to their intelligence and makes them look pathetic..but they don't seem to care. I often wonder if they have to swallow a 'compliance pill' before they take their seats. Unless they're brainless idiots it's the only thing that explains their behaviour. .

Its one of the many reasons I've stopped watching (thread title caught my eye).

Its not just the X Factor, they do it on Strictly too. Its so pathetic.

But that's such a rarity now, does it matter?

They are awful... being egged on by studio "fluffers" is no excuse for their brain-dead behaviour.

They better not try this sh*t on the US X Factor. I'm hoping that will take the format back to basics and be enjoyable again.

they just sound like monkeys ready to boo on cue...very annoying

Unbelievable, they even try and manipulate the audience.

And yes I agree with all the comments here it is a pantomime.

Just wish the pantomime would steal a scene from Shrek and have a dragon fly through a window and gobble up Simon whole.