The three interchangeables and wee Louis Walsh have been asked to choose one act each which they've previously discarded. This is meant to captivate you, the viewer.

The Sun elaborates: "These four will then go up against each other in a public vote next week, with the winner getting to perform with the 12 other finalists the following Saturday. The four wildcards - who we’ve chosen not to name (bet one of them is that attractive homeless Scarlet Pimpernel who keeps cropping up in the papers) - have already been picked and are currently living it up in the five-star Corinthia Hotel in central London with the other finalists. A show source said: 'We like to add new twists to the show every year and this time the public get to choose an act to be added to the competition (um, a bit like last year, when Amelia Lily got voted back in…). With the standard so high this year, the judges had a tough time choosing their three, so this gives another amazing act the chance to perform on the X Factor stage.' The four wildcards will be unveiled on Sunday night’s X Factor on ITV1 (and TV3) - and phone lines will be open for the public to vote for their favourite from the end of the show until midday on Saturday."

So viewers have all week to spend their sheckles on voting for their favourite.

Listen, lads, the problem isn't exactly with the contestants, it's with the judges. They mean well, but they're just all a wee bit on the beige side. It's almost like Simon Cowell doesn't want to employ anyone who might outshine him, you know, so he can slot back in as a welcomed addition when the ratings for X Factor USA plummet beyond the point of no return.