Viewers rage as Sharon Osbourne changes her mind last minute during X Factor elimination

Fans of the X Factor have slammed judge Sharon Osbourne after she changed her mind last minute over who to send home during last night’s results show.

Samantha Lavery and Ryan Lawrie found themselves in the bottom two during Sunday night’s results show, and Sharon did nothing to make the ordeal any smoother. The two contestants battled it out for their place in the competition in the show’s sing-off before the decision went to the judges over who to send home.

It was looking pretty level pegging by the time Sharon Osbourne was left with the deciding vote, but her sudden change of heart outraged viewers at home.

The judge appeared torn over her vote, saying: “At this point, Ryan, you have improved so much. That was a great, safe song. It was brilliant. I don’t know what to do. I honestly do not know what to do.”

Receiving a prompt from host Dermot O’Leary, she continued: “It’s only because he’s been in the bottom so many times. I hate to do this…”

At this point it seemed a dead cert that Mrs. O would be eliminating Ryan from the competition after referencing the fact that he had been voted into the bottom three so many times.

However, the pressure of the booing crowd obviously got to the judge as she unexpectedly shouted “Sam!”, sending proceedings to deadlock instead.

The decision now lying with the original public vote, Sam was given the boot and was forced to wave goodbye to the show.

Fellow judge Simon Cowell looked completely exasperated by Sharon’s indecisiveness, and it seems viewers at home shared his annoyance over the verdict.

The final is on the horizon now as there are just six contestants remaining in the competition. Next week it’s Movie Week on the X Factor and so the singers will be preparing some classic film tunes in hope of wowing the public at home. Who will be the next to go home?

X Factor continues Saturday at 8pm on ITV.