'X Factor': Viewers mock Abba themed episode

X Factor viewers tuned in on Saturday night hoping to enjoy a Mama Mia! themed episode. But despite being billed as ‘Abba week’ – not one of the acts performed an Abba song during the main body of the show – much to the confusion and annoyance of many watching at home.

But it turned out that the X Factor contestants were all to perform a Abba medley towards the end of the episode, with the help of none other than original Abba member Bjorn Ulvaeus. The 73-year-old Swede guided each act toward a lengthy medley, that included Abba classics Money, Money, Money, Dancing Queen and I Have a Dream.

Despite the contestants best efforts to pay tribute to Abba, many viewers were left rather cold by the performance. One viewer criticised the show for cramming Abba’s multitude of hits into a ’10-minute medley,’ while another said X Factor had ‘killed’ the widely loved band.

But no act got quite as much stick as Robbie Williams one last remaining Group – Acacia and Aaliyah. Their part rap version of Money, Money, Money seemed to go down like a ton of bricks with many. Taking a firm traditionalist stance on the Abba classic, many argued that rap and the 1976 Europop song singly don’t go together.

And perhaps most tellingly, was Bjorn Ulvaeus’ remarkably restrained feedback. He said that most Abba covers hadn’t ‘been brilliant’ but that it was still ‘great’ to see how the X Factor hopefuls interpreted his band’s classic hits and that he ‘liked all of their personalities.’

His far from gushing response didn’t go unnoticed, with one viewer saying that Ulvaeus was ‘really dying inside’ and several others joking that he was the master of diplomacy.

Who went home on Saturday night’s X Factor?

But let’s not forget, this is a singing competition after all. So who went home on Saturday night? It was time to say goodbye to Ayda Field’s one remaining Overs contestant – Danny Tetley. The Yorkshireman graciously thanked the viewers and Field promised to still visit him in his hometown. And he even got a condolence hug from Simon Cowell.

It was also the end of the road for Brendan Murray, one of the three remaining Boys acts for Louis Tomlinson. The Irishman also gave a heartfelt farewell, and Tomlinson congratulated him for his time on the show.

X Factor continues on Sunday on ITV at 8pm.

Read more
Kimberley Walsh defends Cheryls X Factor performance
Ayda and Robbie want to be the next Richard and Judy
X Factor suffers lowest ratings in its history