X-Factor contestant Alice Bottomley is thrilled to have been given a second chance by celebrity judge Ronan Keating.
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Keating dropped the Castlemaine singer in the latest episode of Channel Seven's hit talent show, but minutes later gave Bottomley a second chance as one of three wild card entries.
Bottomley said it had been a night of intense emotion.
"It’s incredible. It was very sad when Ronan (Keating) didn’t take me through to the top 12," she said.
"I was upset, I was really sad, but I kind of expected not to get through. I don’t look like a popstar and the other girls were stunningly beautiful and they had the voices to match so I had a feeling I wouldn’t be going any further. I had already prepared myself for that answer."
She said Keating's decision to give her a second chance was "quite extraordinary".
"I was ready to go back to work, go back to the old life that I had before I started this incredible journey," Bottomley said. "It was totally unexpected.
"It’s a funny feeling to be back here again but I’m so blessed to be given this lifeline, this second chance."
She said it meant a lot to her that Keating chose her over two other "incredibly talented" singers.
Viewers now have to vote for their favourite of three wild card singers, with the most popular performer moving through to the finals.
Bottomley said voters would quickly decide which of the three wild cards they would support.
"People will have already made up their minds as to who they love and who they don’t."
She said it would be a wonderful feeling to win the wild card vote and know she had the strong support of the Australian public.
The demands of the show have made Bottomley a "little bit sick" but she's not worried.
"It’s a busy life and you don’t get much time for rest," she said. "I’m popping vitamins here, there and everywhere."
She said it had been fun working with Keating.
"He’s a bit of a cool dude."
Keating was the judge she least connected with at the audition, but she said working with him had changed that.
She was concerned that her loud temperament might clash with his quiet personality.
"He brings me down a couple of pegs and I bring him up a couple of pegs," she said.
To vote for Alice, call 1902 55 75 03 or SMS ALICE to 1977 8888.