Meet Simon Cowell's nightmare: X Factor twins John and Edward who have zero tale

 The teenagers wave to fans from the window of their north London X Factor home

Despite the 18-year-olds getting constant criticism from the judges, and a huge internet campaign to ditch them from the show, they have never even come near to eviction.

Meanwhile, on Saturday night a furious Simon saw his star protege Danyl Johnson - whom he has already tipped as a world-class artist - narrowly escape being knocked out in the early rounds.

Louis Walsh, the man who decided to put the Grimes twins in the show, is rubbing his hands in glee. But he admits even he is confounded by the boys' popularity.

'Simon is desperately worried that the twins are going to win,' he giggles. 'He's really unhappy, but there is nothing he can do because this is who people are voting for. I thought they were going to be popular, but I never expected this.

'Pop music is not just about singing: Kylie, Robbie Williams, neither of them can sing. And at least the twins are singing live, unlike some of the people at the top of the charts at the moment.' Who on earth could he be talking about?

The boys have come from nowhere to become the most talked-about stars of the biggest show on TV. They polarise opinion. At The X Factor house in Hampstead, north London, where a gaggle of fans were loitering hoping to see their idols yesterday, debate was raging.

'I think they are total idiots and I can't for the life of me work out how they are still in it,' says Daniel Ward, 26, from North London.
But 17-year-old Danielle Chilton, from Newcastle, begged to differ. 'I think they are hilarious,' she says. 'Louis was definitely right to put them through.'

Robbie Williams, one of their many celebrity fans, was booed when he shouted out at his Electric Proms gig: 'John and Edward all the way.'