X Factor favourite Matt Cardle plays down his chances

Boys category: Nicolo, Aiden and Matt Cardle

Painter and decorator Matt Cardle is playing down his status as bookies favourite ahead of the first live X Factor show.

He was picked to go through to the final 12 by boys' mentor Dannii Minogue in Australia.

He told Newsbeat: "I don't think it's necessarily a good thing at this stage. You just have to look at Danyl last year to see what happened to him."

But he also admits he's grateful for the attention he's received.

"It's odd and I do feel a bit of pressure, but at least someone - even if it's a bookie, has got a bit more faith in me than some, so it's brilliant."

Saturday's show is two and a half hours long and viewers have been promised a surprise.

There are rumours that one or more contenders will return as wildcard entries, but Cardle says the other contestants have been kept in the dark.

After the 'Gamu affair' the girls are under pressure to prove themselves

"We are not too sure what's going on there but we're all excited about it.

"There have been surprises all along the way so this is another surprise, we can't wait to find out what it is."

Fellow contender in the boys category Aiden Grimshaw says whatever happens "it'll be wild".

Cardle and Grimshaw are joined by Nicolo Festa in the boys category.

The three appear to have become close while living in the X Factor house, and there is a lot of teasing and banter between them.

Matt apparently snores a lot, and Grimshaw and Cardle reveal Nicolo has taken to wearing a Darth Vader mask everywhere he goes so he's not recognised.

They reckon Nicolo's a diva - a claim he brushes off: "No I'm not," he tells them.

"I'm the most chilled person these guys have ever met!"

Makeover

All the X Factor contenders have had a bit of a makeover.

Grimshaw says he approves of his new look: "I've had a caramel tint which is lovely and it's quifftastic, I'm loving the quiff."

Shocking red haired Storm, who lived in LA, has rediscovered his Scottish accent

In the over-28s category, Storm has dyed his hair red and says it symbolises leaving behind the struggles and setbacks in his career.

"Someone said it was the Sharon Osbourne look but I'll go with Rihanna," he told Newsbeat.

Fellow over-28 contender Mary Byrne was too sick to meet the press this week.

John Adeleye explains: "Unfortunately somebody bought a bug into the house. I won't say who and it's been going round."

After Louis Walsh said he was unhappy about being given the over-28s category, Storm reveals he's been massively supportive.

"We have the real deal mentor," he says.

"He calls us about five times a day, sometimes more.

"At two o'clock in the morning you'll get a phone call saying, 'What are you doing Storm? Oh I'm sleeping. Well you should be learning your songs'."

Contacting Cowell

Cheryl and Dannii have been on the phone with the girls and boys categories, but how about the notoriously busy Simon Cowell, who has the groups?

FYD are the only group in the final 12 not put together by the judges

Matthew from FYD says they communicate with him via a middle man.

"Obviously we don't speak to him directly, but we do have constant feedback.

"Our concerns do actually get back to him and he does reply pretty swiftly.

"He sent us a message the other day that he trusts that we're going to deliver on Saturday night."

No pressure then.

X Factor is on ITV1 on Saturday 9 October at 7.40pm.