Making Your Mind Up

If you watched X-Factor at the weekend, you will probably number among the thousands (if not millions!) of people that were outraged that contestant Gamu Nhengu wasn't chosen to go through to the live finals. The question is, how far do you take it?

There's a lot being written at the moment about the decisions made on the Sunday night show. Firstly, I'm reasonably happy with the judges' choices in all three categories. There are some contestants I would have put through - Diva Fever were so much more interesting than 1 Direction - and some I would not. But ultimately, I feel the quality is quite high so it's hard for me to be too angry. However, I was just as disappointed as the rest of the nation to find Gamu cast out of the show.

Not only is Gamu stand-out talented but she also had a unique sound and image, unlike a couple of the other girls. Although I liked all the girls, personally, I would have put Gamu through in place of Katie Waissel. Of all the girls, Katie was the only one who completely buckled under the pressure. Cher Lloyd also failed to perform, but had serious tonsilitis and should not have been singing or even speaking. She tried and in doing so put her voice at risk of damage. I believe that shows enough committment to warrant her place in the final. Katie's performance, however, came on the back of a poor first audition and left me with concerns about her stability as a contestant and her ability to perform on the live show week after week. Gamu had no such problem and showed maturity and poise; traits that she has demonstrated consistently throughout the process thus far.

Having said that, over the last couple of days I have been pretty horrified to hear and read about the outlandish reaction of some viewers of the show. When I heard people had actually complained to ITV and to Broadcasting Standards, I thought it a sad reflection on the attitude of people to the business of entertainment. Boys and girls: It may come as a surprise to you, but X-Factor is a business! When I read online that the show's producers were working with the police to investigate death threats against Cheryl Cole, I was horrified!

Those who make and are involved in the show have no committment to you other than to provide a product that appeals to enough people to make it commercially viable. They don't owe you anything and - at this stage - their choices are their own and don't need to be justified to you, the audience. Get over it! Grow up! Put it in perspective: In a couple of years' time, the name Gamu Nhengu will be all but forgotten. (Unless, of course, she's returns for a second crack at it - which I hope she will.)

Obviously this sort of backlash is unfounded and, quite frankly, ridiculous. What further annoys me is the public response to the revelation that Gamu and her family have been instructed to leave the country or risk deportation. I have read all sorts of bizarre comments from 'it's terrible that Gamu lost out because she doesn't have a visa' to 'why let Gamu's mother claim benefits when she's not entitled to them' to outright 'let them stay' (for no reason other than liking Gamu). There is a propensity in this country, although we are not alone in the tendancy, to blame everything on immigration or immigrants: People who can't get a job often sit back and blame it on foreigners 'taking our jobs'; problems with the NHS get blamed on immigrants coming for free health care and stretching the system; sometimes people even try to pin social problems like bringe drinking or yob culture on 'foreign influences'. When I then find the general public advocating a softening of the rules for special cases, I find myself intensely frustrated. The Home Office is apparently 'damned if they do and damned if they don't'

I feel bad that Gamu and her family may be forced to return to Zimbabwe. It's one of the few places in the world that I really wouldn't want to live. However, a visa was granted based upon certain conditions and rules. If you break the rules you lose the visa. It's not complicated and it shouldn't be complicated. Gamu's mother took money from the state that she wasn't entitled to. I'm sad that she hasn't got a more stable country to return to, and that her children, who have made lives for themselves here will have to leave it behind, but that is where my sympathy ends.

So, am I disappointed that Gamu isn't going to be in the live shows? Sure am! Will I avoid watching or avoid supporting other contestants because of it? Sure won't! At the end of the day, I watch X-Factor to be entertained and I will continue to watch up to the point it is no longer doing so.