Ryan Dunn

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Upset: Rebecca Ferguson broke down in tears as she left the X Factor studios last night with booted contestant Katie Waissel

As the competition heats up, many of the X Factor contestants have been battling to keep it together under the pressure.

Many have fallen ill in recent weeks as their voices crack under the strain, and fears for 17-year-old Cher Lloyd's ability to handle the pressure have been mounting.

Throughout it all, 24-year-old Rebecca Ferguson has remained calm and cool-headed, but last night it all became too much as the Liverpool native broke down in floods of tears after the results show.

However, this morning on Daybreak, the newly-voted-off Katie Waissel backed the single mother to win the show after comforting her the night before.

Strain: The 24-year-old explained on Twitter that she is missing her children

Katie had been seen hugging the soulful singer as they left the show's north London studios last night.

Booted Waissel, 24, had her arms around the distraught contestant and was seen trying to console her as sat in their chauffeured car.

Katie's words of comfort placated Rebecca who managed to break a smile as Katie held her in a tight hug.

This morning, Katie tipped her to win the show.

Talking to Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley to name the winner, she said immediately: 'Rebecca', though she also backed Mary Byrne to do well too a split second after.

As for her departure from the show ahead of this weekend's semi-final, she remained philosophical.

She said she hadn't cried when she heard she'd come bottom of the public vote as: 'I felt I'd achieved so much by getting that far, I was really proud of myself.'

Katie also ventured that there's nothing she would have done differently on the show either - despite fluffing her judges' house audition and being in the bottom two for weeks in the live finals.

She insisted: 'I wouldn't change anything for the world. I was myself throughout the whole competition.

'I've definitely learned a lot over the past 10 weeks of so...but I've no idea (why I caused such controversy), no.'

Talking on Lorraine Kelly's show afterwards, she explained: 'Everyone told me not to read the papers but I did read them because this is all new to me, and I couldn't help it, but I couldn't understand why these things were being written. But if anything, it helped me come to terms with things.

'Nothing could have prepared any of us for what has been an amazing ride. The biggest lesson is just to keep your head up and smile. You may as well just take the positive and enjoy it.'

While Katie has been all over the television this morning, a noticable absence was her fellow evictee Wagner.

The controversial contestant, who was unanimously voted off last night during the sing off, did not appear alongside Waissel during her any of her TV interviews.

Katie's perky demeanour this morning was in stark contrast to her friend Rebecca's last night, even though she'd won through to the semi-finals.

Tears: The mother-of-two was seen comforting her daughter Lilly May after Saturday night's performance

She hid her red eyes behind large sunglasses but there was no disguising her blotchy face and the tears slipping down her face as they sped away.

But while most of the contestants are wrapped up in getting to the next round, the finalist's emotional breakdown was for personal reasons.

She revealed on Twitter: 'I was upset leaving the studio tonight because I miss my kids.

She added: 'Gonna do my best Sat just been reminded of why I'm here.'

Rebecca said during the audition stages of the show that she wanted to give her son and daughter the best possible life.

The semi-finalist had been awarded plenty of visits with her children during the live shows.

But her participation has required that she move from Liverpool to the finalists' house in North London.

It was Rebecca doing the comforting on Saturday night as she was seen carrying her tearful daughter Lilly May, five, from the studios after the show.

She told her followers on Twitter of her nerves before the results show on Sunday, saying philosophically: 'Feeling nervous but what's meant to be will be.'

Still smiling: Despite losing one of the girl contestants, finalist Cher Lloyd (left) and mentor Cheryl Cole were in good spirits

Cher Lloyd looked ecstatic after avoiding the bottom two this week, smiling and waving as she left the studio.

The girls' mentor Cheryl Cole was also in great spirits, despite losing another contestant after Katie received the lowest public votes.

Katie and fellow booted contestant Wagner, who both were graceful in defeat on the results show, put on brave faces as they left the studios.

But the pressure appears to be getting to the remaining finalists, as both Matt Cardle and Mary Byrne, who was saved during the sing off, were spotted puffing on cigarettes as they left.

Eliminated: Booted contestants Katie Waissel (left) and Wagner put on brave faces after the show

That's not going to help your voice: Mary Byrne (left) and Matt Cardle were both spotted puffing on cigarettes after the tense results show

Matt, 27, also indulged a beer, perhaps celebrating the fact that Wagner, who he has fallen out with in the past fortnight, is finally gone.

The Essex man called the controversial contestant a joke recently and the pair reportedly came to blows during the week.

The five remaining contestants - Rebecca, Cher, Matt, Mary and One Direction - will perform on next week's semi-final shows.

Cast members of the hit show Glee are slated to perform on the results show along with former X Factor winner Alexandra Burke.