Contestant Misha B waves goodbye to The X Factor, but not necessarily to her hopes of winning a record deal

I think a quick recap is required. Frankie Cocozza was booted out for breaking a ‘golden rule’, Amelia Lily was then reinstated and not only replaced Frankie but also took Misha B’s place in the M&S advert just in time for Misha to get the boot and for Amelia to make the final.

Misha B has just forgiven Tulisa for her outburst that single-handedly turned her into a hate figure. (Well, Louis helped by throwing in the “bully” comments.) But now there is talk of her getting a record deal with Universal. It is a perfect result for everyone.

Misha has obviously had a chat with X Factor PR and been advised to forgive those nasty comments for the sake of her career - and the show. What she says now will be listened to but she has chosen to play the game in the hope they will help her. I wish her luck.

The chances are she will get a record deal but I wouldn’t be surprised if it lasts just long enough for her to be irrelevant. Remember next year Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke and Cher Lloyd are releasing music, not to mention Amelia Lily, One Direction, Rebecca Ferguson, JLS, Little Mix and Marcus Collins. Do you remember Maria Lawson or Laura White?

If you haven’t worked it out already, the show is just one big marketing tool to launch Sony artists and do deals between multi-media companies.

But they still need your votes to make a difference.

This weekend Tulisa called upon the whole nation to vote with the zeal of a Lady Thatcher sitting in a tank. I mean, forget bank bailouts or joining the Euro this is proper voting. She shouted: “There is only one record contract in this competition! Vote for Little Mix.” Oh No! Panic!!

Gary Barlow: “Get on your phones and vote for these girls.” This is really getting serious.

Louis Walsh: “I hope people lift up the phone and vote for you.” I grabbed my phone and made that all-important call. “American Hot with diet coke please!”

Back in 2004, Simon repeated his mantra “Only one act will get a £1 million record deal.” It was magical. It reminded me of Highlander.

It felt special and it was exciting right up to the final when I was told by my delegated manager Tim Byrne: “Don’t worry Steve, win or lose they are signing you.”

What? After all this it’s a done deal? But THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

Tim had earlier told me that The News Of The World were going to run a story on me claiming I was adopted and my real parents were drug dealers from Birmingham. This obviously upset me and I even rang my parents to just check 100 per cent that I was who I thought I was.

It seems ridiculous now but at the time my world was upside-down and inside-out. Louis Walsh had said on This Morning that he thought I had a creepy smile and looked like Fred West and then in rehearsals Sharon Osbourne had verbally abused me worse than anyone had done since my school days.

I had just endured the most mentally exhausting and nasty few days of my life to win the biggest show on UK TV and this was meant to make me feel better. It didn’t.

I didn’t become a singer to have personal attacks in the name of entertainment. The whole thing was sordid and I was angry.

I was advised to stay silent and good things will happen and they were right - good things did happen. The X Factor has had 24 acts in seven years. The ones who have not played the game have been forgotten and the machine keeps rolling along.

“There is only one record contract in this competition”

1. Steve Brookstein

2. G4

3. Shayne Ward

4. Andy Abraham

5. Journey South

6. Chico

7. Maria Lawson

8. Leona Lewis

9. Ray Quinn

10. Ben Mills

11. Leon Jackson

12. Rhydian Roberts

13. Same Difference

14. Alexandra Burke

15. JLS

16. Diane Vickers

17. Joe McElderry

18. Olly Murs

19. Jedward

20. Matt Cardle

21. Rebecca Ferguson

22. One Direction

23. Cher Lloyd

24. Mary Byrne.

The X Factor 24/7.

In seven years there have been 24 record deals handed out by Sony/Syco.

Who are you voting for this weekend?