Martin Bashir survives X Factor: Celebrity axe despite forgetting lyrics

Martin Bashir has survived the axe from X Factor: Celebrity, despite forgetting the words to his song.

Instead soap stars Victoria Ekanoye and Jonny Labey got the boot after losing out in the public vote.

Bashir stumbled while performing the Commodores song Easy during the live show and  said: “I’ve forgotten my words, I do apologise.”

Afterwards, he said: “I’m not trying to make excuses but my song had to be changed very late so I learned this song this morning.

“I had been working on something else and rights issues meant we couldn’t do that.”

Simon Cowell told him: “I knew the story so I knew things were likely to go wrong.

“I hope the audience gives you a second chance.”

After learning he had survived to sing another week, Bashir said: “There is some kind of psychotic breakdown happening in this country.”

While Ekanoye said she expected to be given the chop, Labey said he felt he had much more to give as he was dumped from the show.

Earlier in the episode, Try Star paid tribute to the England rugby team after their defeat in the World Cup final at the hands of South Africa, with a performance of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.

The performance prompted Nicole Scherzinger to give the group, mentored by Cowell, her safe seat.

Meanwhile Cowell gave his safe seat to Love Island group No Love Lost.

The X Factor: Celebrity continues next Saturday on ITV at 8.10pm.