Dermot returns with the results of the first public vote of the series. All 16 of the finalists perform together live on stage. Usher performs live on the show. Last year's winner Joe McElderry also returns to perform his new single live on the show. Dermot then reveals which acts are safe and have made it through to next week. Katie, Nicolo and F.Y.D learn they are in the bottom three. Dermot then reveals that Nicolo has received the lowest amount of public votes and is out of the competition. F.Y.D and Katie then perform once again in the final showdown. The judges then decide to send F.Y.D home leaving Katie safe for another week.
Each X Factor judge is in charge of a different section of singers on the show. The judges do not know what section of the competition they will be in charge of until the audition process has finished. Each judge then has to pick four acts to take forward to the live section of the show. Each week the two acts with the lowest amount of public votes have to sing again in a final showdown after which the judges decide who should be eliminated. Once there are only five acts left remaining it becomes left to the public to decide who should go.