X Factor: Stop your tedious bellyaching - Simon Cowell is a TV genius

Regarding Lucie - who cares? As Simon said, she had a ceiling and her head was bumping on it.

Whether or not she was done a disservice by being given songs that didn't play to her strengths is a moot point. It doesn't matter - she's gone. Her X Factor ride is over.

The punters didn't give much of a monkeys when push came to vote, so to complain she has been hard done by is nothing but precious whining.

Brass tacks: X Factor is a TV show founded on the premise of creating a superpopstar, it is not a pure singing competition.

It follows the blueprint and replicates the razzmatazz for creating a commercial music celebrity - not an actual, y'know, musician.

If artistic credibility was of paramount importance to the show, you'd be watching it on BBC Four, not on ITV1. And Dannii Minogue certainly wouldn't be anywhere near anything passing itself off as a judging panel.

Talent-wise, this year's crop of wannabes is as fallow as when Leon Jackson won two years ago, which is why Simon has to insert himself so prominently. Truly, he's the only one with the X Factor.

Normal service with everyone else as the foil to Simon as focus has been resumed. He winds you up, he turns you inside out - but Simon Cowell wins.

It works, too. The viewing figures are going up week on week, hitting a record peak of 15.4million viewers for last night's show.

Bellyache all you like about boycotting Simon's acts.

Swear indignantly that you'll never tune in again.

But just lighten up, please. Be entertained, don't give yourself an ulcer. You'll be back for more next week, anyway.

And when Simon gleefully delivers the final thumbs down to Jedward, you'll cheer him louder than ever.

It'll be like this past weekend never even happened...

(Edit:Ruby)