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IMAGINE the scene. Simon Cowell is probably sat up in bed this morning, Sky News on, surrounded by tabloids, grinning from ear to ear.

This Vaudevillian Machiavelli has had a good weekend. Acres of forestry were once again felled in order to speculate on his dark designs. But Cowell is probably more likely to be amused by his good fortune. He took a punt on the result and got it right.

In all the outrage, which apparently extended to a large number of complaints lodged with ITV, it should not be forgotten that Lucie polled the lowest number of votes. That’s right – she came last. And who, of all those people who have since voiced their discontent – whether directly, or on Facebook, or Twitter – actually picked up the phone Saturday night and placed a call for the Pentwrch girl? Not enough, that’s for sure. The whole thing echoes the Jonathan Ross row.

So Cowell played what was in front of him. He gambled and he won. His demonising of the “horrible” Jedward twins recalls Colonel Tom Parker and the ‘I hate Elvis” button badges he had made for the exasperated boyfriends of 1950s screamagers. Love ‘em or – more likely – hate ‘em, people are talking about John and Edward.

But this isn’t the first time that Cowell has ridden his luck. He looked genuinely shocked when, two weeks ago, golden boy Danyl found himself in the bottom two. On that occasion, both Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole had the opportunity to play smiling assassin, to take out one of the favourites and even things up in favour of their own singers. They completely bottled it.

Had it fallen to Louis, things might have turned out different. As it stands, Cowell’s strategy is a numbers game. He remains the only judge with three singers left, and he deserves a clap on the back for it: Olly Murs is the only one of his singers with genuine crossover appeal – provided you live south of the Watford Gap. Danyl is (allegedly) widely despised, while Jamie cannot sing. His strangling of Roy Orbison’s Crying at the weekend makes the case convincingly.

No doubt Cowell’s rhino hide helps to make him immune to all the griping. But perhaps he also knows that it really is nothing to do with him. It is down to the viewers and other judges that he sits on top this morning. And perhaps we are all in denial, too. Just as everyone loves to hate the Grimes, maybe we do the same with Simon. It is the time of year for a panto villain, after all.