X Factor: Stevi survives as final showdown looms ever closer

So, the #TeamStevi bandwagon rolls on with Jay James leaving this year’s X Factor competition following Big Band Week.

Having been taken to Deadlock by Mel B and Cheryl, it was revealed that Welsh singer Jay had received fewer votes than our man, Stevi Ritchie.

Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t be. Having been the early favourite after week one of auditions, Jay had gone seriously backwards in more recent times (albeit, he wasn’t helped by a mystery illness).

Still, he can still perhaps feel a little aggrieved to be on the wrong side of the public vote given some of the other acts who remain.

Not that we care too much.

This is how our Social Media team reacted to the news that Stevi would live to fight another day:

Thank god for deadlock! Go On @SteviRitchie! #XFactorBigBand

— Ladbrokes (@Ladbrokes) November 16, 2014

But that’s enough dwelling on the past.

Here are our updated rankings as we head into week 7 (look who’s missing!):

Lauren Platt – 7/1 to win X Factor

She might be on the drift as far as the bookmakers are concerned but 17-year-old Lauren sits on top of our list.

An incredibly mature performance of Nat King Cole’s Smile was “note perfect” according to Louis while Mel B labelled her rendition “vocally flawless”.

Suffice to say, we were pretty impressed too.

Fleur East – 7/2

We dubbed 26-year-old Fleur a lively outsider weeks ago. And now it’s suddenly become all fashionable to support her claims.

Even Simon’s getting in on the act, stating that she’s now a very real contender to win after a show-stopping performance of Jessie J’s Bang Bang.

London-based Fleur also topped Digital Spy’s poll following Big Band Week and can be backed at 5/2 to finish in the top two with Andrea.

Ben Haenow – 3/1

Watch out Andrea, this pretty boy pretender is gunning for you.

Now second in the betting, Ben has reeled in the Italian singer and looks primed to pounce.

An accomplished rendition of Michael Bublé’s Cry Me a River saw Ben croon his way through to another week of live shows.

And at this rate you can expect Ben to be hanging around until the bitter end.

All odds and markets correct as of the date of publishing

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