The finalist was voted off the ITV programme after four weeks.

She was nicknamed the sofa queen because she kept getting among the fewest votes.

Laura Doherty, from Londonderry, Northern Ireland, who lost out in the poll of 1.8 million viewers - the biggest the programme has seen, said fans were singing her name outside the TV studios following the vote.

She said: "There is one group of fans who are there 24/7. When you leave at night then they are there, and first thing in the morning they are there.

"I didn't feel like I was being put out of the competition last night, I felt like I had won."

The 19-year-old, who sang the Bond theme Licence To Kill on last night's programme, said her fellow pop hopefuls were all "gutted and shocked" when the result was announced.

"I thought Zoe (Birkett) was never going to stop crying. She looked really, really, upset. She has been like my big sister."

Laura said she did not regret her choice of song, but said she was upset at judge Simon Cowell's comments following the poll result that the other six had been better.

The part-time TV presenter said she was now looking forward to returning home to Northern Ireland, where she has been called "an ambassador" for the country.

She said she would spend a few weeks with her family - dad Manus, mum Annis and brother Gareth, 25 - and her boyfriend Kevin, 19, before pursuing a career in television or music.

"There has been some interest, although nothing has been finalised, but I hope that this week the phone will be ringing."

Pete Waterman says the 20 year old from Londonderry "got away with murder" by getting so far.

The remaining six contestants are Gareth Gates, Zoe Birkett, Hayley Evetts, Rosie Ribbons, William Young, and Darius Danesh.

The winner will receive a management deal with 19 Management, the team behind the Spice Girls and S Club 7, and a recording contract with RCA Records.

Part-time TV presenter Laura Doherty who works on local music TV show K9, has just finished her A-levels and said she wasn't too distraught about being rejected.

"Thank you for having me - it's been brilliant," she said.

She added: "I have never heard the song before and have never seen the film."

All three critics picked Laura to be voted off.

Simon Cowell said her vocals were not up to the song and that the other six contestants were better than her.