X Factor Final Shows - Week 8

In this week's X Factor, all the contestants sang a Britney Spears cover and then a classic US hit. The theme was 'American night' and in addition to a live performance by Miley Cyrus, Britney herself stole the show with her new track Womanizer.

It may have been American night, but it certainly wasn't Spain's night: sexy seniorita Ruth Lorenzo became the eighth act to be voted off X Factor. She had been in the bottom two before, but on this quarter final there was no tense vote-off by the judges - it was all down to the public calls. The fiery singer, who was mentored by Dannii Minogue, impressed the panel with her performance of I Love Rock And Roll. Simon Cowell told her: "I thought it was brilliant." While Cheryl Cole said: "It was lovely to see someone rocking up there for a change. You're the rock chick of this show and I loved it." Ruth's second song was a cover of Bon Jovi's Always, a song she said was the first she learned to sing in English. It was an emotional performance that left her in tears at the end but it wasn't enough to save her.

However, the night belonged to Britney and even if the performance was strangely muted, she looked slim and sexy in black hot pants and fishnet tights. Into X Factor's semi-final are Diana Vickers, JLS, Eoghan Quigg and Alexandra Burke. Relive the drama in pictures by clicking through our gallery.

• Watch videos of all the weekend's action here
• More pictures: Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus on X Factor
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