Can't see another thread for tonight's reckonings so I'll start one.

Firstly I'd just like to say that I'd like to see Journey South win for many reasons. On the night though I'd have to say:-

1 Andy - Without a doubt his best performances throughout the whole thing. Can't fault him much although I thought O Holy Night was lacking passion through all but the very end.

2 Shayne - Right choices of song and apart from the cheese in the middle pretty good with a very good last number.

3 JS - Good performances but I thought their song choices could have been better for the final. The Christmas song was a naff choice.

Over the series however and this is the crunch because I think it's how folk should vote - on everything we've seen, not just one night's performance.

In this reckoning I'd have the order:-

1 JS - Sheer versatility. Plus I think Carl is the best individual vocalist left in the comp by a country mile - he just needs a bit more confidence but he's getting there. Andy, not to be outdone, has a lot to offer with his outward personality and his fantastic "passion" in his vocals. These lads will come over well good on TV.

2 Shayne - Most promise for a "pop" career.

3 Andy - Good singer but very limited and didn't perform well outside his narrow safe zone. But still very good in his zone - no doubt about it!

Not only that Andy was lucky to get to final in my opinion at the expense of Brenda. Also, my overall winner is still Maria and I still think she'll do better than any of the above, given the right opportunity and providing she's not stifled by this show's producers and her contract.

What I think is that all those people who complained about Brenda doing the "money note" will be wetting themselves over Shayne and Andy doing the same thing, and all those who complained about Chenai's tears will be coming out in Sympathy for Andy and Shayne.

So I think that JS ought to win it. Female logic!

No, but seriously, they were all absolutela-filpping fantastic. All of them. BUT I MISS BRENDA!

I voted for JS.

Shayne will win.

I think JS are in at the expense of Brenda, not Andy.
I like all 3 I don't mind if my daughter wants to listen to Shayne songs, I'll go down the local on a Friday night and watch JS and I would buy Andy's albums.

Over the series Andy had such an excellent start, faltered in the middle but delivered when it mattered,

Shayne has been up and down with some fantastic performances and some poor

JS are there to make up numbers they can't compete with two very good solo artists.

Well no I don't agree with woo, I too think Andy is there at the expense of Brenda, mainly because they have a similar target audience (and no I don't mean black, I mean people who enjoy superb singing, smoothly and professionaly put over).

JS are there because they are really really nice to look at and they do good harmonies and are generally really cute and lovely and nice. And that's their market.

I still think Andy was the best on the night and outstanding I might add.

Thought XF was good this year because everyone acquitted themselves extremely well and it got very hard to choose between them as the thing progressed. Everyone had their favourites but I don't think anyone could really put down any of the others - there was a place for them all, even Chico. For some such as Philip there's probably a lot more potential because he in particular didn't appear to have had enough performance experience but he does have a damn good quality to his tone.

However, on a final note I agree with Simon's last comment that the BP picked the right winner for this competetion. It will be a synch to market Shayne.