Tim Richardson
Song: All Night Long   (Lionel Richie  )

40-year-old landscape designer Tim opens season 3 of the X-Factor and Kate Thornton tells us he's spent 6 months preparing for his audition. He's still taking things seriously in the holding area, where we see him tapping away to his walkman and getting zoned-up for the judges. He tells us he fuses song and dance by beginning with the beat and developing the rhythm.

Unfortunately in front of the judges Tim's song and dance fuse seems to have blown! He is beat from the start and his rhythm method is badly conceived. His moves, including a hug and a spin, are memorable and entertaining, but for all the wrong reasons. As for the voice, we can't remember!

Tim's long time partner Debbie will probably be as shocked as him. It appears she isn't as harsh as Tim thinks, maybe he now wishes she was a bit harsher! Sharon hints at why Debbie thought Tim was good enough to audition "She must love you very much".

Tim handles disappointment with grace though and judging by his post on our forums he seems to be philosophical about his x-perience! We wish him well with his designs for the future... landscape ones that is!

Panel-Bites:

Tim speaks before auditioning...

Tim: The easiest way to fuse the singing and dancing, I find, personally, is to start off with the beat... and then, develop a rhythm. So, I've got those two as a base... It's just something that comes naturally to some extent. (Laughs)

Tim enters the audition room...

Simon Cowell:  Hi.

Tim: Hi.

Simon Cowell:  How are you?

Tim: I'm great thank you.

Simon Cowell:  Good. Why are you here?

Tim: Erm... I feel I've got something special. And I think it's time to... to express it. I've had a lot of encouragement to be here and ah...

Simon Cowell:  From who?

Tim: From my long-time partner, Debbie. She's a quite harsh judge herself and I don't think she would have allowed me to be here if she didn't think I was good enough.

Simon Cowell:  Okay.

Tim: (Thinking voice overdub) Start off with the beat....And then, develop the rhythm... develop the rhythm...

¯ Ooh, I ¯ Ooh, ooh, ooh ¯ Everybody sing, everybody dance ¯ Lose yourself in wild romance ¯ We're going to party ¯ Karamu, fiesta, forever ¯ Come on and sing my song ¯ Yeah ¯ All night long ¯ All night ¯ All night long ¯ Yay!... ¯ Feel good, feel good, feel good ¯

(Tim does ends by doing the 'X' with his forearms, Louis laughs)

Tim: Thank you.

(Louis laughs to himself)

Simon Cowell:  What does your girlfriend do when you do that?

Tim: Sometimes she says nothing. Sometimes when I get it spot on, she joins in.

Sharon Osbourne:  She must love you very much.

Tim: She does.

Simon Cowell:  I've no idea why you auditioned for the show. I've got absolutely no idea why you've had any encouragement whatsoever. It's about as bad as it can possibly get. Louis, yes or no?

Louis Walsh:  No.

Simon Cowell:  Sharon?

Sharon Osbourne:  It's going to have to be a no.

Simon Cowell:  I'm going to join the other two Tim.

Tim: Okay. Thank you.