X FACTOR stars, such as Guisborough's Abi Alton, could end up singing for their survival if viewers take an instant dislike to them in a new voting system.

The act with the lowest amount of votes after ten minutes will be put into a sing-off with another act after a flash vote on the ITV talent search show once the live performance shows start on Saturday, October 12.

Voting lines for the remaining contestants will then reopen until Sunday nights show where the second contestant to face the sing off will be revealed.

The first live show will have an 80s theme with all the final 12 acts trying out a classic track from the decade in a bid to impress the judges.

This years panel - Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne, Gary Barlow and Nicole Scherzinger - will cast their eyes over the finalists in a mammoth 135-minute-long show on October 12.

The bumper episode will clash with the BBCs ballroom show, Strictly Come Dancing, for half-an-hour when the live stages of both contests go up against each other for the first time this year.

Strictly is already proving to be ahead in the Saturday night ratings with last Saturdays edition of the show drawing an average 1.4 million viewers more than the singing contest.

This weekend viewers will learn which contestants will make it through the judges houses stage to the live finals of The X Factor, while on Strictly the first couple will leave the show.