X Factor judge Dannii Minogue admits Wagner makes her smile - Scottish Daily Record

Nov 27 2010 Exclusive by Rick Fulton

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DANNII MINOGUE yesterday told the Wagner haters: "If you don't like him, turn him off."

And the X Factor judge's last remaining contestant, Matt Cardle, has apologised for his bitching about the tuneless Brazilian, who he branded a joke.

It looks like Team Minogue are now worried that Matt's moaning will make him unpopular with viewers who are enjoying seeing 54-year-old Wagner stay in - and making Simon Cowell squirm.

Matt said sorry for his Wagnerbaiting yesterday, admitting he was angry and saying he hoped he hadn't he'd offended anyone.

Dannii said of Wagner: "Look, he is entertaining, he makes me smile.

"I think everybody has a volume control on their TV and they can decide to use it or not."

She also joked that she, Simon, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh all have "little disguisable ear plugs" to cope with being so close to Wagner's singing each week.

Along with Wagner, the most talked about contestant this year is Katie Waissel, who this week had to deal with the news her grandmother is a prostitute.

Although she wasn't in the bottom two last week, she has been saved an incredible four times after the sing-offs and is the bookies' favourite to go this week.

Dannii says she sympathises with the girl who has become this year's panto villain.

She said: "It's just a test of everyone's strength every week to get up there, whether you're in the bottom two or you're fighting for your position.

"It's a test every week and if you can cut it, if you can make it through the weeks, then you're building your strength for what it's like out there in the real world - as we call it.

"But this is the real world. These guys are working really hard every week."

Although Simon Cowell seems to think One Direction have this year's X Factor title in the bag, most fans think that Matt Cardle and Rebecca Ferguson are the stars.

Dannii, who won in 2007, the first year she joined the show, with Scot Leon Jackson hasn't won since. And she is desperately hoping Matt can take the title.

But she said: "I don't know that it's a two-horse race.

"You really don't know how they're going to cope with it as the pressure builds.

"I mean, for me, we've seen Mary come out and do incredible performances but a couple of weeks ago the pressure got to her and she went to jelly.

"That could happen to any of them, any week. So my fingers are crossed the whole way."

It's not just the contestants who have been getting a hard time this year.

Cheryl Cole was roundly slammed for not voting when her two acts Katie and Treyc were in the bottom two.

But Dannii, who is well known for giving the most time to her acts, reckoned if it happened to her, she wouldn't be able to choose either.

She said: "It's so, so hard when you invest in your category and I think that I probably would have done the same.

"I think Cheryl and I come at it from a different perspective. We know what it's like to be up on stage and perform.

"If I was having to choose, I don't think I could do it and I think I would have opted out as well.

"So it's a tough call and everybody is going to judge you for what you do but I just ask everybody to put yourself in that person's shoes for one second because it's pretty hard."

Dannii has had a rough ride on The X Factor. She rubbed original judge Sharon Osbourne up the wrong way in 2007 and was reduced to tears by Louis, who claimed she'd cheated.

When Cheryl arrived, the knives came out again with claims they didn't like each other. And each year there are rumours Dannii is to be sacked as a judge.

There seems to be a split in the judges this year, with Simon and Cheryl on one side and Dannii and Louis on the other.

"There's no splits in so far as any trouble going on," Dannii insisted. "But I definitely hang out a lot with Louis. He's in the next door dressing room to me. And Cheryl has been really good friends with Simon and I think he's, you know, always been there for her."

Rumours of Dannii being axed began again when she missed the auditions this year after giving birth to her first child, Ethan, in July.

There were grumbles that because she'd missed the auditions, she should have taken a year off.

But she insisted: "It's a bit of a juggle having a baby and doing all of that but I do love it.

"I would be so gutted if I was missing out on it."

Whatever her future, Dannii, who now has her own fashion line, Project D, has been a big hit with the fashion critics.

They've given her glamorous style the thumbs-up and declared her the winner in the style stakes over Cheryl.

But she claims: "I honestly didn't have anything organised until just before the show started so as long as I strength just week' don't come out with a nappy stuck under my heel or on my head I'd be happy."

Dannii admits she feels torn about being there for Ethan and working on The X Factor.

But she added: "I'd rather feel torn and be in a job that I absolutely love and adore."

That's not to say she's not looking forward to going back to Australia for Christmas with Ethan and boyfriend Kris Smith.

And what about more Minogues? She admits: "I say to Kris that one's enough but in the back of my mind there's a distinct possibility.".

This week's X Factor theme is rock and Cher Lloyd is rumoured to be going back to her rap roots with Aerosmith and Run DMC's Walk This Way while Wagner will do Radiohead's Creep.

Sunday's show will see performances from X Factor guest judge Nicole Scherzinger, The Wanted and US pop icon Justin Bieber.