X-factor starlet and receptionist Katie Waissel narrowly escaped a premature end to her dreams of fame on Saturday when she found herself in the bottom three on the hit show.

However the judges were pretty unanimous Ms Waissel deserved to stay – Simon Cowell was the only judge to vote against her but it was to save his own act FYD, and even then it was begrudging. He said of her sing-off performance: “I am amazed you didn’t sing like that last night. But I am going to back my own act for obvious reasons.”

However, regardless of how far Katie gets on the reality TV show, her former employers at Camden Town’s Hob Salons say she’ll always be welcome on their front desk.

Gabi Dee who worked with her, said: “She has worked with the salon for five years and for the last year she was front of house at Camden. Katie is really similar to what you see on television – always singing and dancing, just really bubbly.

“She was working with us right up to a few weeks before going into the house and she’s been in touch with the guys in the salon since.

“If she stays in the competition further we will be making sure we drum up support for her. There will always be a job for her here if she doesn’t progress in the competition – if she wants it of course. I imagine if she keeps going with X-Factor she probably won’t want to come back.”