I think The X Factor is one of the only shows on British TV I can say moves me almost to tears. I've never actually cried at TV before but when I watch something moving I always get that sensation of a lump in the throat, stinging eyes, etc, and you have to try hard not to.

I remember last year getting that moment when that crazy guy Icaro in Louis category got sent home, and he hugged his family and said tearfully "they are my backbone" - he wasn't really a character I liked that much, but something about that moment really tugged me.

And again tonight, I found myself compelled and at times moved by the emotion on there. I mean, the producers REALLY ramp it up by asking the judges to draw it out, and I'm sure they give the contestants hours to think about it, and ask them what it means to them, and get them into a state of emotional wrecked-ness for the moment, but still...

... still it's real emotions, and I have to say a couple of them tonight got me. For all its faults (sob stories as bad as "I want to be accepted for being Spanish" and repetition of Cowell's artist's songs) The X Factor is still one of the best shows on TV, so momentous and epic and great.

Bring on the live shows, and LONG LIVE THE X FACTOR!

P.S. () Austin's hair in the press shots?

Only me then!

I cried all the way through.

It was turbo emotional!

Yes, you're right, it is... I blub every week!

...and then once it's over I feel incredibly guilty for having been emotionally manipulated by clever editing, gallons of tears and power ballad backgrounds.

It might be a reality show, but it's EDITED and PRODUCED as a soap opera.

Formulaic and blatantly sentimental..... and I love it...

Please help me... please!!

Yes i agree sometimes it cant be emotional.

I got emotional everytime i heard the music to Faith Hill's there you'll be when Amy came on(think that was yesterdays). I'll never be able to listen to that song without thinking of amy.

I just thought the programme was about 30 minutes too long tonight - I can only take so long of crying befre it become tedious.

I don't like the way they repeat the sob stories every week. WE KNOW THEM, YOU DONT NEED TO REPEAT THEM

The power ballad backgrounds do make me well up
Footprints In The Sand..

I'll be honest it more cracks me up in laughter with all the emotional music.

Then when they string out the yes or no as long as possible to make sure the contestant(s) are on the verge of a breakdown, then make a joke like "sorry it's not good news..........................it's great news". Cracking TV.

What i dont get it is, Simon says the worst thing to sing at an audition is a Mariah/Whitney song. But when they do the emotional music it's always 'when you believe', 'hero', and songs to that effect.

It is very well done. Hollywood spend hundreds of millions to achieve the same effect on me and you. I hope and pray that I never become cynical enough that I am unable to enjoy this programme.

You shouldn't be ashamed of falling for all the gimmicks and clever editing, as to me x-factor is much like a movie, in the sense its scripted and edited to deliver a story, some drama, also you do get to see people perform, and even if you believe its fixed, we still get to see real people, sing live and put on a show.

I don't think I have a heart

I cried too.

I wanted the football on but the mrs hid the tv remote

I laughed.