Local X Factor contestant Jay James survived a shock double elimination in the ITV show at the weekend.

With a painted-on black eye, Jay sang Mad World by Tears for Fears as part of Saturday's special Fright Night edition.

After the performance, Louis Walsh told Jay: "Every week you do something different. You are a developing artist," while Mel B added: "I'm quite impressed Simon. I liked that a lot. I think that was spot on."

But yet again, he failed to win over Cheryl Fernandez-Versini - we think he should invite her out for a meal in Saundersfoot to impress her!

Cheryl said of Jay's performance: "I don't know what it had to do with Hallowe'en? You do something different every week which makes it hard to place you as an artist. I think you are better than that song."

But Jay's mentor Simon Cowell defended his act, telling Cheryl: "I think that was a little mean."

And he told Jay: "Jay, you are prepared to do something different. It's putting your own interpretation on it. You had a record deal and it didn't turn out well and you have come on the show to take huge risks and I want people to keep you in the competition."

In Saturday night's show, Jack Walton received the fewest votes and was knocked out, while on Sunday, Lola Saunders was voted out on deadlock. Earlier in the results show Jay sang the opening lyrics to the group song, Katy Perry's Fireworks.

This week, it's Queen v Michael Jackson night and when we spoke to Jay on Tuesday, he told us that things were getting 'very tense.'

"You just don't know who is going to go from one week to the next," he said.

"All I can do is my best and thankfully each week I have felt really chuffed with my performance. If the worst was to happen and I was to be sent home, I know I was happy with the way I performed. We are all so close now and since Jack and Lola have gone, the house seems so empty. That's when the reality of the whole show hits home."

He continued: "I want to win the competition and I know I can. I know I am up there with the top runners. I don't just want the 'that was good' comments from the judges, I want them to say 'wow, that was amazing' and I know I have to push the boundaries to get those reactions.

"It is a tough rollercoaster, especially in the results show. You work hard all week on your performance, then on Sunday, you have to work even harder to control your mind and emotions."

As for this week's theme, we tried to get Jay to divulge which artist's song he was going to be taking on by asking him whether his favourite was Queen or Michael Jackson, but he told us: "Well I used to work for The Queen, although I know it is not the same one, and I have always been a massive fan of Michael Jackson, but I can't say which song I'm singing or the Si Admiral won't be happy. I just know that this weekend, there will be some huge, huge songs."

This week, Jay's also been in the running for Wales's sexiest man with Wales Online, the results of which were due to be announced yesterday (Thursday).

The X Factor continues tomorrow on ITV.