You're right, he usualy does. But not in Rachel's case.

The Niamh/ Rachel sing off is about the only one that bucks that trend.

Sarah was less experienced than Rachel, wasn't she.
I think that he only saved Sam because Rachel had been in the sing off two times already. If he saved her again, he would have looked foolish.

I think they were about equal in terms of experience. Wasn't Rachel bottom of the viewer vote, therefore Sarah was more of a threat to the chosen ones.

I don't agree I think if the semi final sing off had been Rachel's first she would have still have gone. The only way Sam wouldn't have gone through would have been if she was against Jessie.

Who would he have saved, between Sam and Jessie, I wonder. Probably Jessie, but he might have gone with the panel, and saved Sam. Like that time between Ashley and Fran.

I think Rachel, Jessie and Sam were his faves.
Sarah would have gone because he really didn't see her as Nancy... Nor did I but still she was my second favourite, she could have been Nancy, Just different.

He would have saved Jessie over everyone.

I didn't think Rachel was a particular favourite of his - but she was a good fallback if one of his favourites didn't couldn't deliver.

It's a real tricky one. If Sam had been in the singoff with Jessie in the semi final, I think he would have saved Sam. Didn't Andrew make a big deal about the fact that Sam and Rachel were the two he really didn't want in the sing off that night? There wasn't much Jessie love going around on the night of the sf.

As for Rachel, I think he did rate her, but perhaps not quite as highly as Jessie or Sam. I think these three were the only Nancies he seriously considered as prospects to play the role. But I also think that Andrew was much more conscious of the way the public were voting this time, and he was aware that Rachel was losing the battle for public support.

I think the fact that they showered Rachel with praise that night was a way of justifying saving her (for the fourth time) over Jodie if they both ended up in the bottom two, which is what they expected and hoped would happen. It backfired a little bit when they had to override Rachel's spectacular performance to put through Sam's mediocre effort.

It would have been very interesting if it had come down to Rachel and Jessie. While Andrew would have wanted to save Jessie, I could imagine great resistance from John, Denise and Cameron.

Anyway, I'm sorry Rachel didn't get her place in the final, she really deserved it.