It’s the first live X Factor show and the public is about to get in on the act and decide which acts stay and which acts go.

The contestants have got to be feeling just a little nervous about performing live in front of the judges and the nation for the first time.

It's also Kate Thornton's first time as the main presenter on a live show of this magnitude, so she is probably feeling a few collywobbles herelf, though she doesn’t show it.

Kate introduces The X Factor judges/mentors with some ceremony.

Simon Cowell must be wearing strong aftershave because his entrance is heralded by the ‘Old Spice’ music. [That’s Carl Orff’s ‘O Fortuna’ from Carmen Burana for you highbrows out there!]

Kate announces that there will be a twist in tonight's proceedings, but it won't be revealed till later in the show!

On with the show! The acts appear in the following order. [Click on the links to find out how they get on, including what those heartless judges say about the contestants and eachother!]

The Best Judge

After all acts have performed and the voting lines officially opened Kate fills the remaining programme minutes by doing a bit of studio audience research. She wants to know who they think has done the best job as a judge.

Simon must have a sense of foreboding, because despite Kate making it patently clear that this vote is about the judges he appeals to the audience to vote for his artists and not for him!

There are lots of supportive chants for Louis! Louis! Of course Louis does come from a big Irish family!

The result is available straight away, Kate announces "...It’s an overwhelming victory... Big surprise! Sharon Osbourne with 57 per cent!" Yes Kate, what a shocker!

Watching this I hear the words of Cassie Compton ringing in my ears. "What's it all about??!!" Yes, what do they get for being voted 'best judge'? ...apart from very excited!

Sharon looks like she's about to start bounding about the studio, until nephew Terry Longdon calms her down with a congratulatory hug.

Simon appears to be a bit miffed at Sharon’s success. Ill fate can have its compensations though, the lovely Sinitta is on hand to comfort him by stroking the back of his head! They must have made a lovely purrrr when they were dating!

Finally Kate gets back to that 'twist' which she had alluded to earlier in the programme. She explains that the 2 contestants receiving the lowest number of votes must compete against one another in a final showdown.

They will have to sing again, but this time only for the benefit of the 3 judges who will then decide which act stays and which act leaves the contest.

It's hard to know whether this is good or bad news. It definitely mollifies the public vote, because the act that stays might not be the least popular. On the other hand it could be argued that it acts as a buffer against freak results and prevents the best talent from leaving the contest too early.

Our view is that we'd prefer the evicted act to be solely down to the public vote. If the bottom two are to be pitted against eachother in this fashion, fine... but why not give the public the decision over which one stays or goes. Surely there could be another 10 minute phone vote during the results show that could be used as the decider? C'mon X Factor, just think of all that extra call revenue!

On the upside, which ever way the public vote, the results show is a guaranteed cliff hanger!

Click here to find out who leaves tonight!