The Sun reports today that the mum of X Factor finalist Alexandra Burke last night revealed how she fought back from a coma — after Alexandra saved her life.

Rachel Hylton could be axed by X Factor producers in the next day or so - although she is lined up as one of the twelve acts to launch the live shows on ITV1 on Saturday.

Cheryl Cole's first season as an X Factor judge and now mentor is going so well that she sometimes must have to pinch herself.

Louis Walsh has probably the hardest job of all the mentors this year - the groups traditionally struggle on X Factor and with the competition being so strong in other categories, this year his task i

Dannii Minogue, last year's winning judge, looks to have a tougher job on her hands this year mentoring the over 25s.

After weeks of speculation, tears and traumas, the final 12 contestants for the X Factor 2008 live shows were finally revealed tonight.

Finally, the most competitive category; The Girls were told that they would be whisked off to Cannes, and were overjoyed to learn that their mentor would be new judge, Cheryl Cole, assisted by fellow Girls Aloud member and best friend Kimberley Walsh.

The groups were next to hear where they were heading off to and who their mentor would be.

And so to the Over 25s who were thrilled to hear that they would be going to St. Tropez.

Storms, tears, nerves, forgotten lyrics and weird outfits; you guessed it, it's the Judges' homes stage of The X Factor 5. And tonight's show didn't fail to deliver the drama that the show thrives upon.