When Kate Thornton asks Sharon Osbourne to introduce her first act, Sharon appears to be distracted by the panellist to her left.

As cheeky Simon's cheek approaches her own, she puts up a hand in defence. "He's just dying for me to kiss him, but no I won't!" Simon of course protests his innocence! "You lie like a rug!" she tells him.

First though, we see a videoclip of what Tabby has been up to this week.

During the past week Sharon has tried to get Tabby to improve his interview technique. She sets up a magazine interview and instructs him to "let them see how naturally funny you are, and how big hearted you are. Just be yourself!"

We watch him putting Sharon's advice into practice and enjoying his interview. Then in the middle of the interview, his mum rings him on his mobile which he'd left on!

It didn't bother the pretty girl conducting the interview much though, "I thought that was quite sweet. He's obviously got his family behind him, and erm, I'm behind him too!"

Tabby's charisma got him through that little test, but will it get him through today's musical aptitude exam on the X Factor podium?

You betya! This consumate rocker has the crowd pumped up even before he gets on stage. With his guitar slung over his shoulder he's looking moody and edgy. He knows how to sing and he knows how to swing that guitar. A swivel of the hips or a lick of the lips is all he requires to set the hearts of his female fans on fire!

There's a great moment in the middle of the song just after he sings '...might as well face it you're addicted to love!'...

He suddenly does a double take, exclaims "I'm addicted!", bounces off the stage and plays his guitar for Ireland. Yes, literally 'Ireland' because the section of the audience that he is playing to are all proudly waving tell tale tri-colour scarves.

The guitar work sounds great, although we guess it's probably the backing track that we can hear rather than Tabby's own string work! (There do seem to be moments where the guitar is playing but Tabby is not!) However Tabby is known to be an accomplished guitar-man, and if he could've he probably would've!

The question is, did all this stringin' and singin' impress the judges as much as it did the hysterical audience? Tabby finds out...

Kate: Tabby, it's time for the judges verdicts... Thank you.

Louis: Kate, what a fantastic start. This guy, a young irish guy, he's got soul. You're a born rock star and you're very lucky you've got Sharon Osbourne, cos if you had Simon Cowell you'd be doing 'Unchained Melody'! (laughter) So well done! Well done! (Lots of applause. To Simon:) Now Simon? !

Kate: Simon?

Simon: I love this. Louis Walsh criticising my choice of songs after last week. (sarcastically) Right! Erm...

Louis: I've still got three acts here!

Simon: Yea, not for long!

Louis: You've got two.

Simon: Yea, not for long! Okay, erm...

Louis: The public decide, not you!

Simon: First of all, thank god you're in this competition Tabby. Erm, absolutely brilliant opening. You remind me of like an old 70s rocker. You know you're like a throwback, which I think is fantastic. One downside... facially you are turning into Sharon Osbourne though. (Laughter and a few boos - Tabby seems amused) Which isn't great!

Sharon: Then he must be fabulous!

Tabby: Absolutely...

Louis: (To Simon:) That's a little bit rich coming from you. You've more make-up on today than Sharon has! (laughter and a wolf whistle for Simon!)

Simon: ...so it's back to Tabby.

Kate: So Sharon, apparently you're cloning him. What do you think of the comments from the panel tonight?

Sharon: I think they're very fair. And Louis, I know Louis has always loved Tabby. (To Simon) But Simon, he had that red in his hair for... we met at the audition, remember?

Simon: Yea but he's look...

Sharon: And he had make-up on at the audition

Simon: ...but he's looking more and more like you Sharon... or you're looking more like him!

Tabby: That's not a bad thing though is it? (Big cheers, Simon smiles)

Kate: (To Tabby:) Anything you want to say back to Simon?

Tabby: I'll be honest I... y'know so far in the competition like, I'm really happy y'know, like with the err... y'know with the...

Sharon: Feedack...comments...comments.

Tabby: Yea, exactly the feedback and stuff, yea... I'm a bit out of breath! (Sharon laughs) I haven't anything bad to say, I'm just glad to be here to be honest y'know.

Kate: Okay. Now Tabby... (big cheers and screams from the audience) I need to know from you for the people at home... Why should the public vote for you tonight?

Tabby: Cos this...(shouts from the audience ' cos you're the best') ...erm, to be honest this is all I've ever wanted to do all my life and I really, really want this. To be honest... that's all I can say, y'know.

Kate: Well said... (audience member shouts 'you're gonna do it Tab!'. ) Thank you very much! (To Sharon) Sharon that's your family! Okay for now, Sharon and Tabby!