We on-line X-Factor enthusiasts knew that there were technical difficulties and that there was a twist to bring people back.

It's bad enough there were 15 minutes of old auditions with no explanation of what was happening.

They must have been totally gobsmacked when, in the middle of the programme, trumpets blared, the curtains parted and out walked a contestant who was eliminated weeks ago like Caesar triumphantly returning from his conquest of Gaul.

I can imagine a cry of WTF? going up all over the land.

Well, for a start, they explained the technical difficulites on the channel, how do you think we all knew?

Secondly, the twist has featured everywhere, it was on the front pages, on the news channels, etc.

I tuned in 5 minutes late, and could not get onto the forum to see what was going on.

I thought I was watching some recap show on ITV 2, and had to change channel to make sure. If Strictly had been on, it could have been a disaster - I only stayed with it because it because I refuse to watch Merlin.

The people I was waching it with spent the entire time moaning about the excessive adverts and most of them gave up and went and did something else by the end as they were so sick of the endless padding and ad breaks.

Well, if you say so.

I didn't notice any announcement or on-screen captions.

Also the only X-Factor front-page stories I noticed on the news-stands were about (a) Kitty (getting naked I think) and (b) Frankie and drugs.

There was no announcement during the time I was watching it....but I missed the very beginning.

An announcement was made right at the beginning, saying there were technical problems.

To be honest many Irish Saturday night viewers were none the wiser about the twist. We were talking about x factor at work ( many have switched off this year) and those still watching the programme didn't know anything of the twist on Friday.
I looked for the voting numbers for ROI viewers and couldn't find them. Last night when the show was aired, text appeared on the screen saying that voting was not open to ROI viewers for 'the twist' but the lines would be open to vote at the end of the show as usual and were available on the tv3 website.

Oh, well I missed that because I watched the end of Strictly and knew I wouldn't miss any contestants if I turned over a few minutes late. Then I started looking at Twitter to find out what was going on.

Well I missed all the cufuffle because I refuse to miss Merlin for the farce that X-Factor has become!

The whole thing was a mess.

1. Technical difficulties meaning the show was late with no explanation.
2. An apparently picture of Little Mix on at the televised start, was the show really 'live'.
3. STV giving the result of Amelia's vote out online before the phone lines closed - hilarious.
4. Each performance separated by swathes of adverts (at least 10 in each break).

It really is a mess. We Sky Plus it so we can cut out the advertising and timewasting on the show - I suspect a lot of people do. Might be the reason viewing figures are poorer and Strickly is gaining ground.

Well firstly I can't imagine anyone didn't know about Frankie going and the probability of Amelia coming back.
And secondly, anyone with any sense and a hatred of adverts (except the Xmas coke advert that was on last night ) will have sky + it and just fast forwarded the whole technical hitch bit.

Seriously many people didn't. I'm talking about people that sit down and watch it as a family show on Saturday nights and don't follow it during the week.
Again on tv3 in Ireland, there was no announcement of a technical hitch, they just tried to fill the gap with clips from another show-Xpose, and adverts. The first that was said about a technical hitch was when Dermot said it on the show.
I know I'm only using a particular part of the audience here but it can be quite a significant one.

I'd guess the average viewer(whatever that is) would probably just shrug and until the program was back they'd go make something to snack on or check out what else was on or make some calls or check email or.....

That they're all rubbish, course I don't think so but average tv viewer probably would of lost interest after first couple acts.

I seen on Tv3 a strap stating a power problem in london, it wasn't on at the start though, but about 5 minutes in.

Obviously they didn't mind too much as TXF beat SCD in the ratings last night. Clearly the 'controversy' over Frankie worked...

Apologies if so.
Do you know anything about the phone lines for the twist?

Yep Sky plus all the way.