"My nerves let me down again, and I feel like I’ve let him down. Y’know and maybe he should have picked somebody else! ..." declared a tearful Verity earlier this week before entering Simon Cowell’s mansion for some much needed confidence building.

Simon blames Verity’s downbeat thoughts on what he calls "Louis’ disgraceful comments" during last Saturday’s show.

However Simon and his team successfully pick up Verity’s pieces and put them together again. They assure her that it’s very normal to have performance nerves, and Simon starts Verity smiling simply by demanding to see ‘Happy Verity’.

Tonight Verity not only looks ‘happy’ but also looks very pretty in her black off the shoulder dress. She's also sporting a very fetching new hairstyle!

She is backed by the same gospel choir that backed Rowetta’s performance; although this time they remain more in the background. Her singing is very melodic, and although her style isn’t ‘in your face’ its subtly enticing nonetheless.

After the performance Simon greets Verity with a congratulatory kiss on the cheek. Kate also gives her a warm reception before facing the opposing judges Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne.

Kate: Louis Walsh!

Louis: You know Kate, this is a song that I hate. Everybody sings it at the auditions... everybody! And it’s a song I absolutely hate! (boos) But... tonight I like the song. She’s come along... this is not the same girl we heard last week. She’s fantastic tonight! (cheers) Verity, you’re a totally different woman tonight. You look absolutely fantastic, you made that song your own and I think 10 out of 10 to you tonight. I take back everything I said.

Verity: (smiling) Thank you!

Kate: Sharon?

Sharon: Verity I feel that I relate to you so much because my dreams for me personally didn’t come true til I was 50. (Verity nods) And I relate to you and I think that you and I prove that anything is possible! And you know what? If you have a dream you follow that dream and it will come true. (Verity looks emotional but very happy.)

Kate: Simon?

Simon: I’ve got to be honest with you Kate. I think for the first time since we started this competition Sharon and Louis have actually made sense, so I have nothing else to add!

Louis: Simon! Simon! Excuse me... Mr Cowell! (Louis waves a pointed finger) We like her... we don’t like you! (Simon grins)

Verity: (to Simon) I like you!

Simon: (rocks Verity gently) I like you too.

Kate: Verity. A very different set of comments from last week.

Verity: Yeah. Made me much happier! (laughs) Yeah, last week I was feeling a bit down about it, but no...(to Louis and Sharon) that’s very nice. Thank you very much.

Kate: Now confidence is ‘key’ when it comes to taking to the stage like this and making it your own. Has he (Simon), has he helped you to become more confident?

Verity: (Looks at Simon and nods) Yes he has, he has. He’s encouraged me, yes he has.

Kate: Has some of his rubbed off on you? He’s got a lot to give about!

Verity: He has hasn’t he? (laughter)

Simon: A few more compliments (he pulls a funny face...milking the praise)

Verity: (laughs) He’s lovely! Yea.

Simon: One more? (more laughter)

Verity: (smiling) Okay, he’s really lovely!

Kate: Stop it! Its not about you its about Verity! (Simon mutters a muffled something) Now listen...

Verity: What?

Kate: ...before this competition consumed your life you spent your days teaching kids how to sing. How do you think your kids are going to be feeling sat home watching now?

Verity: I think tonight they’ll be proud of me. I hope they will. (nods) I think they will.

Kate: Ladies and gentlemen, Simon and Verity!