Idols set for a frenetic finish

Like a would-be champion, 29-year-old Mark Haze has moved from a contender to the man to beat after this weekend's Idols Top 5 performances.

Indeed, the rock/pop theme, his favourite, was the one he has waited all these weeks for and, after his two performances on yesterday's pre-recorded shows, there can be no doubt that he eclipsed crowd favourites Dave van Vuuren and Freddy "Van'Dango" Moss.

Haze opened the show with Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar on Me and followed it up with Aerosmith's Dream On.

He said yesterday: "There was a lot of pressure because people have been saying that I always sing rock. I was excited but I had to bring my A-game [because of added expectation]."

Haze said the fact that he was familiar with his two songs meant he was more comfortable on stage than at any time since the competition began.

He added: "I've worked hard until this point and I sort of feel like this is my reward. Plus, I had the honour of opening the show. This was my favourite performance next to the one with the choir a couple of weeks ago."

If Haze fitted the week's theme perfectly, Lefa Pike was probably the outsider, but he said yesterday that he was satisfied.

Pike sang The Script's The Man Who Can't Be Moved and Queen's Don't Stop Me Now, and received mixed reviews from the judges.

"I pulled off my performances, as far as I was concerned. I think a lot of people were waiting to see what I could do with this theme. Unfortunately I couldn't do anymore of the Parlotones," Pike said.

The Locnville twins were the guest judges, and will perform on the show tomorrow night, when another contestant is sent home.

The Top 4 will then perform twice on Friday evening, for the show to be broadcast on Sunday. British R&B crooner Craig David will be the guest judge this weekend.