DARIUS and "big" Rik Waller may well be the top tips to win this week's Pop Idol talent show.

But wannabe singer Sarah Whatmore, who goes head-to-head with them on Saturday, said: "They may have the publicity but I have the voice."

It appears the gloves are off as the last 10 contestants appear on ITV1 to battle it out for a spot in the final -- the ultimate prize being a recording contract and instant fame.

Sarah was the first girl to be shown on the series but since then she has been largely forgotten and it is something she is keen to rectify.

She said: "People like Gareth Gates, good though he is, has become more famous for his stammer and that has got him public sympathy.

"The same goes for Darius and Rik -- they've both had loads of publicity but at the end of the day I want to win because of my singing ability alone."

Rik -- the lad with a big voice and even bigger frame -- has been the subject of an e-mail campaign to make him a winner, an idea thought up by men's magazine FHM.

Darius achieved notoriety when he appeared on Popstars, the show which made Bury's Suzanne Shaw a star. He went down in TV history for his over-the-top rendition of Britney Spear's Baby, One More Time.

Sarah, from Worsley, beat 10,000 hopefuls for a place in the last 50.

The 20-year-old will go before the infamous panel of judges -- made up of Simon Cowell, Dr Fox, Nicki Chapman and Pete Waterman -- before the viewers take control and decide on the winner.

She said: "I've got a 50-1 chance of being the eventual victor. I suppose all I can do is perform to the best of my ability and I just want people to like me for what I am and what I have to offer."

Sarah had classical voice training at the Manchester School of music and, recently, she has been working with producers on a set of songs she has written.

Notorious judge Cowell heaped praise on her when she went for her first audition and, since then, Chapman has made her a tip for the top.

Sarah said: "The problem with some of the show's contestants was their inability to take criticism.

"Some of it has been cold and harsh but there seemed to be a feeling among many people that they had already made it.

"It can be hard to be criticised but you have to accept it sometimes and as for the press, well it's a two-way thing. You can use them as much as they use you."

The show will air on ITV1 at 6.10pm with a special Pop Idol programme starting at 7.10pm on ITV2.

Sarah, who has promised her performance will have "a bit of oomph because most of the songs have been quite slow so far", said she would love to win -- but would not be too down if she did not.

"I've got a few contacts in the music industry," she said. "I also have my own material and hopefully that will be on my side.

"The Pop Idol experience has been wonderful. It's made some excellent television and shows how hard it is to break into the industry."

She has still not decided which song to go for but has whittled it down to three: I'm So Excited by the Pointer Sisters, Jocelyn Brown's Somebody Else's Guy and Crush by Jennifer Paige.

Last week, Westhoughton lass Rebecca Goven came fifth and missed out on a place in the final 10.