Top diva Whitney Houston and Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole made last night’s The X Factor an unforgettable episode as the TV show gathered 14.8 million viewers, the highest rating the show has had since its first airing. The episode beat last year’s final night wherein 14.6 million watched as Alexandra Burke was hailed as that season’s winner.

Clad in military-inspired clothes, Cole sang her debut solo single, ‘Fight For This Love’. Simon Cowell praised the singer’s performance saying, “It’s really going to pain me to have to say this, but that was incredible. That was an incredible routine, great performance and unfortunately you’re going to be number one next week.”

Cole’s performance was said to be “live,” but many viewers doubt if it really was, suspecting that the singer’s lip movements did not synch with the audio. A fan, as reported by the Telegraph, said “[Cole] should have sung live on the live show. It destroys her credibility completely and the credibility of the show.”

Whitney Houston made her comeback on UK TV as she sang “Million Dollar Bill,” a track in her brand new album I Look To You. In an earlier statement, Houston was quoted by UnrealityTV as saying, “I have always loved my UK fans and I am thrilled to perform for them on The X Factor. I am also a fan of Simon Cowell’s and look forward to meeting him. It should be a fun night.”

It was indeed a fun night as Houston graced X Factor’s set with her powerful voice, lively stage presence, and undying charm.  Full of energy, the singer experienced a little wardrobe malfunction during her number, with the back strap of her silver dress sliding down as she entertained the audience. “I sang myself out of my dress,” she told the host.

As expected, viewers were divided regarding Houston’s performance. Fans and believers say that the diva is back, but detractors say that they were unimpressed. In the X Factor website, one user said, “Whitney is different now but there’s still some old Whitney in there. She was having a good time, and we should let her after all she’s been through. She sang live and she did it well I think.”

Most negative comments always point out the singer’s drug addiction history, relating it to the destruction of her vocal chords. (Jezriel M)

Source: Telegraph, XFactor, UnrealityTV