I've spoken to a lot of people who vote and they all say that Sara didn't deserve to win as she wasn't born in the UK, she's Finnish and it's the UK X-Factor..

Is that fair or are people been Little Englanders?

I admit that I feel more connection with someone born in the UK isles (same with British footballers at a football club), but when she was allowed to enter she should win if she deserves to and she was the best singer by a mile !

Unfortunately we're in brexit Britain so off course.

That's what people have said to me as well.

As Saara actually topped the vote last night, it seems people voted en masse to stop her winning rather than for Matt.

I don't think Matt benefited from 5am going- that act finishing 3rd has made zero difference to the end result in every other series, so why start now?

You have zero clue of the reasons why anyone chose to vote.

I can understand people relating more to a British act, but I'd rather the best singer win when she was allowed to enter the show.

I hope she isn't too disappointed.

yes just like when Ashley Roberts didn't win I'm A Celeb

I even read one comment from a forum user here saying they were a remainer and therefore supporting matt.

I'm not saying this is the reason matt won or why saara didn't. However I don't for a second believe that saara not being from U.K didn't impact her votes on some level, especially the casual viewers who only tune in during a final. Unfortunately, it is a outlook that some take.

It would have been an issue for some people, but you can't quantify it... so you can't say it was decisive

Prove it. How can you quantify your statement to show that people voted to spite her rather than for him?

We do know that a lot of voters only tune in for final though..

For crying out loud, this is a talent show and I doubt that people vote on anything other than who they enjoy watching and listening to.

I can understand people being disappointed if their favourite doesn't win but suggesting that every viewer who didn't vote for Saara is xenophobic is ridiculous and insulting.

If there were really any xenophobia going on, would she have managed to get to the final? On another thread, I read that she's topped the public vote for the last three weeks, including when the votes were frozen in part 1 of the final.

You say you admit more of a connection with someone from the UK , is that xenophobic or is it just that you find more in common with them maybe ?

In reality I don't think xenophobia has anything to do with it or she wouldnlt be I nthe final , Matt appealed to one set of people another preferred Saara, both can sing but both will attract a different audience , Matts audience voted tonight and he ended up lucky but I am sure Saara will have a good career and maybe not the pressure of being the winner .

Brexit means brexit

What don't you guys understand about leave winning.

Not letting Saara win just so the remain side can use it to prove brexit should be blocked

It didn't help. Nicole certainly knew what she was doing. It certainly isn't the first time a foreign contestant has been caught at the F2 stage despite being ahead before on a UK reality show.

More damaging than any xenophobia though was the terrible songs she was given to sing at the final.

Yes, she lost because of Brexit.

Let's just forget the history of The X Factor voting patterns, shall we? This Brexit story and deeming everyone from England 'Little Englanders' is much more fun and we can all get offended and outraged at these Little Englanders for being such vile pigs even though viewers voting history would suggest Matt was the red hot favourite to win regardless of Saara's nationality.

Matt topped the majority of the votes most weeks, that wasn't to spite Saara, it was because he's got a penis and somewhat good looking. That's all you need to win this show.

How about American judges who shouldn't be allowed to judge a UK contest, yet no one bats an eye! Then there's Sharon, Simon and Louis...so where are the British judges! Yet Saara isn't considered a suitable contestant, nor a winner, when she has the best voice of any of the contestants!

No way of proving that....but I can only think it was the reason because Saara was streets ahead of Matt and still didn't win ...so the foreign thing must have come into play..Nicole made a big deal if it anyway ..but you can never tell.....Saara should have won by a landslide though.

What utter nonsense

But there was a 30% of votes that would be distributed between Saara and Maat. I think many of 5AM's fans second choice would have been Matt. It wasn't a massive win. I mean Louisa won over Reggie & Bollie who are from Ghana, that wasn't because of racism. These things happen.

It's lucky they announced the winner when they did anyway. If they'd dragged it out any longer Article 50 would have been triggered and she'd have had to go home.

But not if she had been allowed to stay in the country in the first place. Article 50 wouldn't have had anything to do with it.

Seriously doubt it.

It's due to the 5am switch in votes and a decent weekend for Matt. Xenophobia played no part otherwise she wouldn't have topped the first half of the final. Had she always been in the bottom than perhaps.

I think xenophobia wasn't the main factor but the fact that 5 AM and Matt appeal to the same audience.