I quite agree Jedward were the joke act that year. They didn't really progress at the expense of older more talented acts which wouldn't attract younger voters though. The over 28s that year went out in week 6, week 9 and one made it to the final. Jedward were bottom in week 5 and were only saved by the judges in the sing off (with a young Welsh girl who was the same age as them) which caused a flood of viewer complaints. They went out in week 7. Prior to Jedward being bottom in week 5 the acts that went out were two young girl groups, another young girl the same age as Jedward, and a guy from Glasgow who was only 4 years older than Jedward. Rather than getting their votes from teenyboppers I think Jedward attracted at least a good portion of their votes from people who were simpply taking the piss. A kind of anti-vote. same with the other joke acts in other series especially Wagner in the following year. He was the oldest in the competition, was dreadful, and got further in the competition than Jedward did.