The X Factor has been splashed across the headlines for years, but not all of them were about standing ovations or winning moments.
From judges getting the boot to would-be pop stars fighting the threat of deportation, Simon Cowell’s televised brainwave has certainly ridden a rollercoaster of highs and lows.
After the original series being off-air for the last seven years, there have been whispers of the show making a mighty comeback. However, ITV have no confirmed this news.
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It’s all hanging in the balance for The X Factor’s future, but the Daily Star Online couldn’t resist walking down memory lane to revisit some of the talent juggernaut’s most jaw-dropping scandals.
Sharon Osbourne v Dannii Minogue
(Image: Instagram)
Trust Sharon Osbourne to never dodge a good TV rumpus, with her time on The X Factor peppered with everything from dousing Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell in water to clashing horns with Dannii Minogue.
Dannii hopped aboard the X Factor train in 2007 after warming up on Australia’s Got Talent. All seemed peachy until she collided with none other than Mrs O.
Spilling the beans in her tell-all 2010 book ‘Dannii Minogue: My Story’, Dannii revealed Osborne had her in floods just before hitting the stage. Dannii spilled: “Sharon was looming over me screaming and swearing… five minutes later she was holding my hand on stage.”
Ruffling feathers, it was rumoured this outburst was sparked by whispers of Dannii throwing shade at Sharon in the press. Sharon fuelled the fire even more when she went on The Graham Norton Show, saying Dannii only got the judging gig because of her looks and that Simon Cowell allegedly wanted to sleep with her.
Gamu Nhengu
(Image: Instagram)
Gamu Nhengu was a fan favourite in 2010, sailing through to Cheryl’s judge’s houses, but sadly, her X Factor journey was cut short, and she was sent home. Fans were fuming when she didn’t get a place on the live shows.
To make matters worse, Gamu couldnt even come back as a wildcard because of immigration issues. It turned out her mum’s visa renewal was rejected in August 2010.
Then to rub salt in the wound, the Home Office decided that Gamu’s family, who were originally from Zimbabwe, couldn’t stay in the UK in February 2011.
Frankie Cocozza
(Image: Instagram)
Bad boy Frankie Cocozza from Brighton certainly made a first impression when he whipped his bum out for the judges, Tulisa, Kelly Rowland, Louis Walsh and Gary Barlow, revealing seven girls’ names tattooed on his cheeks.
He quickly became a fan favourite and even made it to the live shows, but his time on the X Factor was cut short, and he was given the boot, with Amelia Lily stepping in to take his place.
Rumours were flying about Frankie dabbling in a bit of cocaine while he was on the show, even though he insisted “there was no proof” and claimed the bosses said they wouldn’t say why he left.
His mentor, Gary Barlow, said he was “hugely disappointed” about the whole thing.
Cheryl’s departure
(Image: ITV)
Cheryl Tweedy was buzzing with excitement about her shot at conquering the US charts when she landed a gig on The X Factor USA. But things took a downhill turn thanks to her mate Simon Cowell, who dumped her from the show and, according to Cheryl, “didn’t even have the guts to phone or send a message warning,” leaving the ‘Fight For This Love’ hitmaker out in the cold.
She was unceremoniously axed mid-auditions amid rumours that her Geordie twang was too thick for American viewers to get their heads around. In a tell-all moment from her second autobiography, ‘Cheryl: My Story’, the feisty singleton let loose about firing off a searing text to Simon Cowell.
Chezza let rip with: “F*** you. F*** Britain’s Got Talent. F*** the orange and purple outfit. F*** big hair. F*** the UK X Factor. F*** you all.”
However, the spat with the music mogul wasn’t dead and buried forever, as she made a bombshell return to The X Factor UK despite swearing she’d never grace the show again.
Jake Sims
Scandal reared its ugly head when Bristol bad boy Jake Sims of 2014 fame part of the eight-man act Stereo Kicks on the show had tongues wagging after a nude photo fiasco.
Despite being a minor at the time, Jake made the bold move to tweet a very revealing pic taken in his bedroom mirror back in 2012. The cheeky lad captioned the now-vanished snap with: “Here’s my nude, lol. Yolo x x ((sorry if you see this mum)).”
He revealed to Daily Star: “I learnt that that naked picture got me a lot of attention,” and added with a hint of nostalgia, “When I was on X-Factor walking backstage people were looking at me differently and they were impressed.”
Following his time on the hit show, Jake became a permanent fixture in tabloid headlines. More notoriety followed when a photo from 18 months prior to his X-Factor days resurfaced showing him out cold on a hotel room floor, with eyes rolling back post-ketamine use.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
