Bookies have odds on star

Singing star Rhydian Roberts from Mid Wales has been installed as the bookies' favourite to win The X Factor.

Rhydian wowed the judges and the public in Saturday's semi-final to secure his place in the final three of the competition.

He will now fight it out with Leon Jackson and brother-sister duo Same Difference in a bid to win a recording contract, but is the odds-on favourite to win ahead of Leon.

The 24-year-old, from Trallong, near Brecon, performed two songs on the show, one chosen by his mentor Dannii Minogue, one of the programme's four judges, and one chosen by himself.

Firstly, he sang Dannii's choice, Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water.

And the classical baritone singer's performance had the show's four judges full of praise.

Louis Walsh said: "Every week you come out, every week you deliver."

Sharon Osbourne said: "That was absolutely breathtakingly perfect."

And Simon Cowell said: "I thought that was fantastic.

"It was probably your best performance, if not the best performance, of the competition so far."

Rhydian followed this up with his own choice - Gerry and the Pacemakers' Merseyside anthem You'll Never Walk Alone, which also met with unanimous praise from the four judges.

Louis told Rhydian: "You're probably going to win the final."

Simon said: "That was an absolutely stunning performance."

And Dannii said: "That performance was beautiful. I think you are world class."

The X Factor Final is on Saturday, on ITV1, at 7.15pm, followed by the results at 9.35pm.