X Factor voting cash to go to Help For Heroes charity

Image source, PA

Image caption, One of James Michael, 2 Shoes, Amelia Lily and Jonjo Kerr could return

The X Factor is to donate profits from the phone vote to replace Frankie Cocozza to charity.

Viewers can choose one of the four acts who were voted off the first live show by their mentors.

2 Shoes, Amelia Lily, James Michael and Jonjo Kerr are all in the running to return to the ITV programme.

The show's producers talkbackThames and Simon Cowell's Syco say the profits, which will be at least 22p per call, will go to Help For Heroes.

None of the four ejected acts has so far faced a public vote, but show bosses decided to bring them back to fill the gap left by Frankie Cocozza.

He left the show earlier this week after he broke one of the show's "golden" rules.

'Responsibility'

The winner of the phone vote will return to the X Factor on Saturday night to sing with the remaining acts.

They'll perform either a Queen or Lady Gaga song.

Elaine Bedell, ITV's director of entertainment, said: "In these unprecedented circumstances I'm pleased that we are giving viewers the opportunity to vote for one act to return to Saturday's show.

"All profits from this vote will be donated to Help For Heroes."

Phone lines close an hour into Saturday's show, which begins at 8.15pm.

During a press conference on Thursday, Frankie Cocozza's mentor, Gary Barlow said he felt responsible for the teenager losing his way.

The Take that star said he felt a "level of responsibility" for the 18-year-old's departure and also blamed fellow judge Louis Walsh for giving the him negative comments last weekend.

"Unfortunately I can't follow him around all week," he admitted.

"We try and take care of them while they are in our company.

Glamorising alcohol

"I said to him on a regular basis 'You are a young guy, have fun but work hard at the same time.'

"We have all played our part in what has happened with Frankie and I don't think any of us are guilt free in that.

"We have all encouraged Frankie not only to be good but to be bad as well.

"We have enjoyed it and written about it, the show has enjoyed the publicity about it, but it has gone too far out of control for us as a show to have him still on here but I do feel a level of responsibility."

Frankie Cocozza's behaviour has led to several investigations by Ofcom into possible breaches of its programme code.

In October, the 18-year-old from Brighton appeared to swear after finding out he was getting through to the next round during a results show.

On last weekend's Saturday night show, viewers saw Cocozza out drinking with friends, which may have breached rules on glamorising alcohol.

Ofcom is also examining a problem in the same show with an on-screen contest when multiple-choice answers appeared in a different order during the programme.

The X Factor did broadcast an apology but Ofcom was looking into whether the mistake may have broken its competition rules.