Consider this example, because it regularly happens(I won't even use anything to do with singing for this example):

Contestant A gets wide shot of stage set upand grand entrance,close infor close ups during the most confiding ,intimate lyrical passages of a performance, and viewers get plaintive eye contact.

Contestant B sings equally well , but gets wide angle side views, cut to yawning or eye rolling audience member, cut to awkward dance steps,cut to ceiling, then to bored judge, then close up of screamy face on note barely in comfort zone, then pan out during potentially media friendly facial expressions and plaintive eye contact must be avoided. Watch carefully, You can actually see who is being helped or hindered.

Recap:contestant A gets the most glorious segment shone.nd on a close up smile....Contestant B-lets see those awkward dance steps again, in case anyone missed it the first time!

Regarding Contestant B, it showed how desperate they were becoming with the famous backdrop behind Chris Maloney with the laser eyes

I didn’t say there was a fix and Simon and the producers aren’t going to get what they want all the time. To address your other points:

1) Chloe was meant to be this year’s Katie Waissel and the negative tabloid exposure went hand in hand with that. The show would have loved for her to have landed in the bottom 2 a couple of times with a nice act who was fodder and then save her for some controversy. Unfortunately, she landed there with Stereo Kicks who the judges and show in general seem to love for some reason.

2) Stephanie’s press coverage was hardly going to endear her to the public. Who wants to vote for an accused bully? It was interesting the show made no mention of the abuse she got on Twitter, whereas Rylan had an “emotional” VT about the supposed death threats he had received after he was chosen for the live shows.

3) Jake’s posing for magazines was mentioned in a negative way on the show with the VT showing Mel being annoyed with him and Louis saying less gym time and more vocal practice. This is despite the fact that it was the show arranged for him to do these photoshoots. The show clearly wasn’t interested in Jack and that was reflected in his VTs, song choices and the judges’ comments.

I don’t buy into all of the theories of the tin foil hat brigade, but it’s pretty naive to think that Simon Cowell who is a show producer and head of the label that signs the winner and gets first refusal on the other acts wouldn’t have an agenda.

Does anyone really think that the people involved with the show would have picked "Don't Stop Me Now" if they'd wanted to give Paul a chance of getting through. As soon as I heard what he was due to sing I thought "stitch up" as did most of my friends. FFS he is a soul singer being given a rock song. Just think about all the Michael Jackson songs he could have sung, and would have sung well.

Paul has already said in a filmed interview, so fact not fiction, that he wanted to do Dirty Diana. If they'd let him he'd still be in the competition. The judges and the producers knew that which is why they wouldn't let him sing it.

I just wish he'd had the backbone to refuse their song choice. In the music industry you have to stand up for yourself or the likes of Cowell will walk all over you.

Wouldn't it be amazing if he had quit the show as he felt he was being thrown under the bus and he felt he had no control over anything. Yeah I know never going to happen

I would guess that once you sign any contract with X Factor then they have you over a barrel. Whether that includes control over what you sing, who knows? Just trying to imagine Paul going to Mel B and telling her he's not singing that song. He'd have got chewed up and spat out by the dragon. Most acts don't have the balls to even threaten to quit.

One of the former contestants (I think it was Frankie) said the judges get to pick from 3 or 4 songs for their act and so if they didn’t want Paul to sing Dirty Diana, they would just not make it one of choices available to Mel. To be fair, there are other reasons they would tell an act they can’t sing a particular song rather than wanting to stitch them up.

I’m sure the acts have to sign very tight contracts that a lawyer has gone through with a fine toothcomb. It was reported in the press a few years back that one of the things they added is the acts are not allowed to criticise Simon. That was probably brought in post Steve Brookstein. Again, it’s nothing sinister. I had a job once where my contract stated that I wasn’t allowed to disparage the company or senior management either during or post-employment.

Yes, that is the case. It's not about balls. It's about things like not finding it worth being labeled "difficult" among people who
can influence what happens for you(or doesn't)/legally severely restricted as to where and what you can perform,financial penalties...and that is only the beginning.

Their is no conspiracy on the X Factor. Paul went because people didnt pick up[ the phone and vote for him. Simple!"

*tinfoil hats rustling*

That reminds me of Ruth Lorenzo prior to her famous Purple Rain sing-off. Didnt she basically tell Simon "I'm singing Purple Rain or nothing", and stand up to him? Good for her

What I am saying i I had the legalities, pros and cons of a similar contract to what the contestants sign explained to me roughly a decade go.I chose to not do it, so I CAN say what many are unable to because they agreed to what basically amounts to a stfu clause.There is no saying "no" for any singer who cares about their reputation and career after they sign . It is not a conspiracy,just business, but like any business, once they agree to terms,they have to abide by them or any number of not pleasant things can happen.

I'm sure many times the contestants are treated well and their ideas considered, but not always, and that is one HELL of a risk to take.