As inconsequential rubbish goes, this year's X Factor is giving great psychodrama. Last Saturday was Mariah Week and proved more eventful than anyone would have anticipated. Diana, the barefooted favourite, was forced off the show with a bad bout of laryngitis. Laura, the one with the best voice, got knocked out after insane decisions from Simon and Louis. Sad Dad survives for another week, meanwhile, leaving smug Dannii as the only judge with all three acts remaining.

Over on Digitalspy's ever-hilarious forums, they're already talking about laryngitisgate, crying foul play over Diana's absence. The claim appears to be based on two pieces of evidence: a) Diana had the audacity to be filmed on her sickbed in full make-up; and b) she was seen at a bonfire party earlier in the week, talking. School for scandal or what? The claim is that Diana got an automatic pass because Mariah Carey songs were "out of her comfort zone".

Nonsense, obviously. Even Cowell could surely never coerce a 17-year-old girl into faking laryngitis, denying her the chance to meet Mariah Carey, while affronting the rest of the show's contestants, who are – after all – supposed to live in a house together.

But the weekend's events do raise some interesting questions.

I have well-placed moles who have it that Diana is the one the producers want to win. This makes sense: the girls are best this year; and as great a singer as Alexandra is, Cowell's hardly about to manufacture a rival to Leona. Far more marketable would be a Gabriella Cilmi-style, indie hippy chick.

The use of smoke and mirrors - crap song choices, unflattering styling, and even the order they sing in (first on is most likely to get the boot: it did for Girlband and Scott) - can surely help to define an outcome of a reality show. Diana would have struggled with Mariah week, but got to sit it out. Meanwhile Laura was given a crap song, and now she's out of the way.

That said, it doesn't serve to go to far down the path of conspiracy. Firstly, controversy always serves shows like this, helping them to bigger ratings. Then there's the boring winners: Big Brother bosses were apparently apoplectic when the genuinely nice, unassuming Rachel won this year's series because they knew there'd be no window for 'brand extensions' and Chantelle-esque spin-off series. But still, she won. John Sergeant's continued survival in Strictly is infuriating for the judges, meanwhile, but it's platinum viewing. That said, big money contracts and teenagers' dreams aren't at stake on the dancefloor.

You can bet that Cowell will work out some ways to manipulate stuff from behind if public support for Sad Dad propels him to the final. Meanwhile, my source tells me that scary-haired Eoghan is comfortably topping the votes every week. This puts the squeeze on the number of final places remaining. Is there a conspiracy to anoint Diana Vickers? We may soon find out...