Cher cheered on homecoming trip... but will the X Factor hopeful be the first to fall as hate campaign grows?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNKq_mgalpoendofvid

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By ANDREA MAGRATH

Homecoming queen: X Factor finalist Cher Lloyd returned to Malvern today to greet her local fans


Cher Lloyd has today returned to her hometown of Malvern, Worcestershire, where she was surrounded by hundreds of local fans and well wishers cheering her on.

And the trip couldn't come at a better time for the 17-year-old, who is going into this weekend's X Factor final in the face of an online hate campaign.

After the teen scraped through to the final at the expense of 50-year-old Mary Byrne on Sunday night, 'Hate Cher' became a trending topic on Twitter.

The phrase was the fourth most used phrased on the social networking site in the UK and one of the top terms in the world in the hours following the results show.

A Facebook group called 'I Hate Cher Lloyd' has attracted 12,510 members as fans of the ITV series continue to speculate about the series being fixed to ensure the Cheryl Cole-lookalike would go through.

Furious fans stormed the internet, writing on forums and social networking sites.
'I would have love to see someone destroy cher's ego! #xfactor rigged! #hatecher,' one Twitter user wrote.


Support: Cheering fans crowded the 17-year-old


'Is it any wonder #hatecher is trending? The public are fed up with these fake ppl crying, not singing well, but going thru coz Simon likes u,' said another.

Another viewer ranted: 'She comes across as a spoilt brat, her performances are rubbish and she thinks she can "change British music". That is why I #hatecher'.

But fortunately for the singer, for every hateful comment, she has hordes of devoted fans supporting her.

Miss Lloyd's Facebook fan group has an astounding 1,144,452 members.


Target: 'Hate Cher' became one of the most tweeted phrases in the world on Sunday night


Scandal: A last-minute change in format saw Cher and Mary compete in an unexpected sing off during the results show


A fan commented on the page: 'You don't understand how exited I am when you got through to the Final. I was running round the house shouting "Go on lass". I actually love you, You are amazing.'

'Thank god your [sic] in the finals,' wrote another. 'I don't even know how you got in the bottom two - You're like the best singer ever. Hope you win.'

Twitter users also jumped to the singer's defence. 'I'm not a big fan of Cher but #hatecher is just mean. Give her some slack,' one wrote.

Another added: 'I think its terrible people got #hatecher trending you dont hate her shes just 17, you've never met her, you Just don't like her singing voice!'

Despite Simon Cowell saying yesterday that a conspiracy was 'nonsense,' voters have complained they were misled about what they were spending their money on.


Pet contestant: Cheryl Cole has been criticised throughout the series for favouring Miss Lloyd


Viewers were clearly told that the contestant receiving the lowest number of public votes would automatically leave the show, with host Dermot O'Leary saying: 'Now it's all in your hands.

'It's your votes and your votes alone that can get your act safely through to the final.'

But a last-minute change in format meant Cher and Mary - who were in the bottom two - had to battle it out in a sing-off, before the judges voted to put Cher through.

Angry fans of 'Tesco Mary' speculated that X Factor bosses scrambled to make the change when they realised that Lloyd would receive the lowest number of votes.

But Cowell insists that they simply wanted to keep the program fresh: 'It's more exciting and gives more people a chance to win it. That decision was made long ago - five or six weeks ago,' he told the Sun.


Fix Factor? Mary Byrne added fuel to conspiracy rumours yesterday when she said on This Morning that she didn't learn of the format change until Saturday - claim denied by Simon Cowell


'It adds to the mystery and audience love the surprise element.

'We are doing our best to change the format. It's more exciting to have a sing off.'

Cher Lloyd has attracted plenty of controversy during her time on the series.

Fears for her wellbeing have been constant throughout the series, with the frail youngster's emotional performances and tantrums well documented.

From her first audition - a confident rendition of Soulja Boy's Turn My Swag On - she was a favourite of Cheryl Cole, who told her, 'You are right up my street.'

Cole's decision to put her 'pet contestant' through to the live shows - even though she broke down and was unable to finish her audition - was met with outrage by fans of Gamu Nhengu and Treyc Cohen, who eventually went through as a wild card.

But a number of stand out performances - most notably her powerful rendition of Stay by Shakespears Sister - have won over viewers.


Cher Lloyd sings Nothin' On You - The X Factor Live Semi-Final


source: dailymail [endtext]