Saturday's Pop Idol final has developed into an England v Scotland showdown, thanks to Michelle McManus's supporters who have made her progress a matter of national pride.

Yorkshire favourite Sam Nixon has gone, so it's up to Mark Rhodes to fly the flag for England. Viv Harwick reports on the baffling second year of Pop Idol.

SOLID Scottish support for 23-year-old Michelle McManus may be about to achieve the impossible and propel the size 20 singer into becoming TV's Pop Idol for 2003 on Saturday. But the one thing helping Midlander Mark Rhodes, 22, is that Glaswegian Michelle is now the favourite and, so far, a succession of front-runners have come to grief. The latest upset came last Saturday when 17-year-old Sam Nixon lost out despite being 2/7 with bookmaker William Hill to take the title.

Now the phone voters have a straight England v Scotland contest to decide this year's contest.

Judge Simon Cowell was the only one to predict a shock last week. Nicki Chapman and DJ Neil Fox went for the predictable choice of Mark, while Pete Waterman maintained his belief that the public will never make Michelle their No 1 choice.

This week Michelle and Mark are touring the country on their own battle buses in a bid to win the support of fans, with the eventual winner gaining a recording contract and the song All This Time released as their first single.

The pair were starting their tours in their home towns today, with Michelle returning to Glasgow and Mark visiting Wolverhampton.

Meanwhile Sam, from Barnsley, was putting a brave face on his defeat, but admits he was ''gutted''.

''Of course there's a part of me that's gutted, it's just bugging me that I didn't get to the final but I'm not as upset as I thought I would be,'' he says.

''It's weird because I wanted it so much. I've got mixed emotions. There's just that bit in my mind thinking I was so close.''

But the teenager says he was ''really chuffed'' to have made it to the final three and still hopes to have a career in the music industry.

He's taking inspiration from former Pop Idol loser Darius, who has since gone on to be a successful performer.

Sam says he did not know whether Michelle or Mark would be triumphant, and refused to be drawn on who he would prefer to see take the crown.

''They both deserve it, they really do,'' he says.

Sam had been the bookies' favourite and was expected to breeze through to the final and then emerge victorious.

But he was pipped to the post by Michelle and rank outsider Mark from Darlaston, West Midlands. Sam says that hearing he would be going home had not come as a shock because he had not taken the prediction seriously.

''When people say you're the favourite that doesn't mean that you're going through because everyone has been a favourite,'' he said.

The youngster joked that being on the show had taught him how to wash his own clothes and said he would use any money he earned to pay off his mum's mortgage, buy some deodorant, and a Renault Clio.

And he said he had no regrets about getting involved with the show.

''It's been a roller coaster ride and I have loved every minute of it.''

Another early favourite was Andy Scott-Lee, who was booted off the show last month. Previously a member of the band 3SL, which had some chart success, he is the brother of ex-Steps singer Lisa Scott-Lee, and his girlfriend is Liberty X star Michelle Heaton from Gateshead.

And next year - after helping to promote the Pop Idol album and the single from the show, which is tipped to be the Christmas No1 - he will be talking to a number of producers with a view to embarking on his own pop career.

Andy admits it's been a bit strange adjusting to normality after taking part in the talent show, which has now given rise to the Official Pop Idol video game.

He says: ''When you come out you have to come back down to earth. When I was in there, none of us could go out without being chaperoned, so now it's all a bit weird - but it's nice to do normal.''

He's quite optimistic for the future, saying: ''If you don't win Pop Idol, you might still get something out of it, and fingers crossed I will.

''I've got lots of producers interested in me, but I'm not allowed to do much about that until after March. Obviously, the show has helped me no end - it's been a great showcase.''

Andy had been supporting Sam but has been impressed by Michelle's beautiful voice. He says: ''Everyone knows she's got a great voice - it's fantastic. As a person, she's hilarious, really funny. She comes across as all innocent, but I like to play tricks on people yet it was her who got me twice on TV.''

Scott-Lee doesn't think Michelle's size - she was around 15 stone when the show started - will affect her chances of winning.

''At this point I think it boils down to who's got the biggest fan base - I don't think her fans are bothered about her size.''

Of Mark he adds: ''He's a really nice guy, and vocally he's strong. He's very funny too.''

All 12 Pop Idol finalists are bidding for the Christmas number one with a cover of the John Lennon and Yoko Ono hit Happy Xmas (War is Over).

Bookmakers Ladbrokes now make Michelle, once at 33-1, the new favourite to win at 1-2, with Mark at 6-4. He was once put at 50-1.

* Pop Idol, ITV1, Saturday, 6.45pm

* The Telewest Arena Newcastle hosts the Pop Idols Tour on Tuesday March 16, 2004. Tickets costing £22.50 are now on sale and are available from: Credit Card Booking and Information Line 0870 707 8000 (24 hour, 7days)

Published: 18/12/2003