Carly’s Idol dream shattered as she’s booted off US show

FINALIST: Carly Smithson was voted off American Idol

IRISH singer Carly Smithson has lost out on her second chance to be a superstar.

Smithson, the 24-year-old Irish woman working as a bartender in San Diego, was booted off American Idol last night, firmly bringing to an end her hopes of landing the Idol crown.

Dubliner Smithson, who was known as Carly Hennessey before she got married in the US, was the latest cast-off on American Idol as the field was narrowed to five finalists during yesterday's results show.

The Irish singer had won rave reviews from judges – but apparently not votes from viewers – after performing Superstar from Jesus Christ Superstar on Tuesday's Andrew Lloyd Webber-themed performance show.

Judge Randy Jackson told host Ryan Seacrest: “It must be a bit of a popularity week in the vote.”

Controversy had swirled around Smithson at the start of the seventh Idol season because of her previous experience in the music industry.

In 2001, MCA Records released Smithson's debut, Ultimate High, which flopped. She was also the winner of a Meteor music award in Ireland.

However, it’s not the end of the road for Carly – during the results show, host Ryan Seacrest announced the top 10 finalists will visit 49 cities during the next Idol summer tour.

Would-be star Carly has been at the forefront of debate from the show’s fans for months, with recent claims that she is pregnant fanning the flames of rumour over the singer.

The Dubliner had also hit the headlines after a previous row at the start of the year, when it emerged that she may be ineligible to compete in the contest after recording a single during her teens.

The singer, who moved to the US in pursuit of fame aged just 15 in 1999, had previously released a solo album with the MCA label.