Melody Thornton exits Popstar To Operastar

Pussycat Dolls singer Melody Thornton has become the third person to get the boot from Popstar to Operastar after losing out in this week's sing-off.

It was the second time the American singer found herself in the bottom two, after being saved by the judges over Midge Ure in the first week of the ITV1 show.

However this time around her luck ran out when she came up against Toploader singer Joseph Washbourn - who was in the bottom two for the second week running.

And once again the judges opted to keep Joseph in the competition, with only Vanessa Mae voting in favour of Melody, and Rolando Villazon, Katherine Jenkins and Simon Callow all opting for Joseph.

"I think they both improved," said Rolando of the sing-off, "but the one who took it a step further was Joseph."

"I feel like one person has sung so much better," added Katherine, "and I saved him once before so the person I'm going to save is Joseph."

Afterwards Melody said that she hoped her time on the show had "inspired people to do something they wouldn't normally do".

"And I'm so grateful for everyone who supported me," she added.

Earlier in the show Melody - who took to the stage in a huge pink ballgown and tiara - had received largely positive reviews for her performance of Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix from the opera Samson and Delilah.

"There was something quite vulnerable about your interpretation," Rolando told her, while Vanessa added, "I was moved because I got the feeling that you really enjoyed yourself."

Melody's bandmate Kimberly Wyatt was also in the audience to watch her perform.

Four other pop stars - Cheryl Baker, Steps singer Claire Richards, Erasure's Andy Bell and Joe McElderry - made it straight through to next weekend's show following the public vote.