Stacey Solomon's X Factor dream came to an end as her performance with Michael Buble failed to woo the voting public.
Olly Murs and Joe McElderry will now battle it out for the title, a recording contract and, in all likelihood, the Christmas number one on Sunday night.
Speaking as quickly as ever in her strong Essex accent, Stacey thanked her fans and said: "I'm really proud. I came third in the X Factor, that's really good. I'm really proud."
Her mentor Dannii Minogue said it had been an "incredible journey".
She said "everything" had been highlights.
"I got to stay to the final," she said.
Both Olly and Joe paid tribute to Stacey and said any one of the trio could have gone out this evening.
But Olly said it was "so great" and "amazing" to be in the final two, while Joe said he could not believe it.
Earlier, as the show opened, Simon Cowell said: "This is the closest competition I've ever been involved in. I can't pick a winner anymore."
Stacey, 20, sang a duet of Feeling Good with Buble, whom she introduced as the "coolest man on earth".
Buble said she "absolutely" had what it takes to go all the way.
When it came to singing their best song in the competition, Stacey performed Who Wants To Live Forever and Cowell said simply: "You smashed it."
Fellow judges Louis Walsh and Cheryl Cole described both her vocals and looks as "incredible".
The Dagenham diva returned to her roots for the first song of the evening with a performance of What A Wonderful World, the same song she chose for her first audition.
Cowell praised her choice, saying she had turned into a "nervous wreck" in previous weeks but appeared calmer for the final.
George Michael took to the stage to sing Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me with Joe, the youngest finalist.
Michael said he "rose to the occasion" and added: "I think he's got a great future."
The 18-year-old student from South Shields chose Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word as his best song.
His mentor, fellow Geordie Cole, said that if there was any justice in the world he would be in the final and told him, with her voice breaking, that his performance of Dance With My Father was "the moment you absolutely stole my heart".
Walsh added that he had "never ever let us down", Minogue praised his "absolutely stunning performance" and Cowell added: "You are, I think, really special Joe."
Singing Angels, Olly performed with Robbie Williams, who fluffed his lines as he walked on stage and greeted the 25-year-old warbler from Essex.
Williams declared Olly was "like a quite storm" and added: "He's unbelievable, I should be taking tips from him."
For his best song, Olly sang A Fool in Love and Walsh said it showed him as a sexy showman who owned the stage and was a natural talent.
"I think you've got the X Factor," he said.
Cowell, who described Olly as the "best risk I've ever taken in my life", said it had been an "absolute pleasure" to work with him.
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© Press Association