9 of The X Factor's Wildest Scandals And Moments
Since 2018, Saturday nights just haven’t felt the same. For years, The X Factor dominated primetime telly, headlines, and water cooler conversations.
It spawned some of the most iconic artists in the history of pop culture, such as Leona Lewis, Olly Murs and One Direction in the UK, and Fifth Harmony in the US. From auditions, to boot camp, to the high-stakes live shows, there was never a dull moment on the reality series.
The show centred around the idea of aspiring musicians having that quintessential star power every successful entertainer has — they either did or they didn’t. While the judges and viewers determined which musicians had ‘The X Factor’, we all know the real reason we watched it: the drama. Both on and off-screen, The X Factor and its international spin-offs were never short on scandals, and honestly, that is part of what made the show so compelling.
If rumours are to be believed, The X Factor may well be returning UK screens — but nothing will beat the show in its prime. So, come with us down memory lane as we explore some of the most unhinged scandals on the UK show and its international siblings.
1. Voter Fraud And ‘Fix’ Claims
Throughout its run, The X Factor was swamped with claims that it was ‘fixed’, with the show allegedly favouring certain acts and manipulating the system. The most high-profile example of this was in 2007, where fans of Rhydian Roberts, who finished in second place behind Leon Jackson, claimed that they weren’t able to vote for Roberts on the phone. In total, over 1,900 people complained to Ofcom.
2. Gamu-Gate
From her first audition in 2010, Gamu Nhengu quickly became a favourite among viewers. She got as far as the Judges’ Houses, where she was mentored by Cheryl. But, the judge ended up causing controversy after choosing Cher Lloyd and Katie Waissel over Gamu, despite the fact that both Cher and Katie broke down and were unable to complete their performances. It was also claimed that Gamu was going to get deported, but the singer later said these claims were exaggerated.
3. The P!nk Audition
In 2012, Zoe Alexander, who worked as a P!nk tribute singer, auditioned for the show. She originally performed a P!nk song, before following it up with Emilie Sande’s ‘Next To Me’. When the judges rejected her, she claimed that she was told by the show to sing like P!nk, which the judges denied.
The show aired footage of her shouting, swearing, and seemingly pushing producers following her rejection. Years after her audition, she doubled down on claims that production pushed her to act like P!nk, with stylists also allegedly trying to “bully” her into being like the pop star. She also claimed the audition was scripted and that they edited her to make her look bad.
4. Tulisa’s “Fag Ash Breath”
During the 2012 live shows, judges Tulisa Contostavlos and Gary Barlow clashed over Gary’s song choice for his act Christopher Maloney. “You do the same thing over and over again with him and it's not working,” she said at the time. Gary then shot back, saying: “Tulisa, I don't know what's offended me more, - what you said or the fag ash breath.” While he later apologised, the comment still made headlines.
5. AbLisa’s Punchout
In 2010, one of the most memorable auditions was AbLisa, a duo consisting of 18-year-old Abbey and 17-year-old Lisa, who couldn’t seem to work out whether they were friends or cousins. Before they even started singing, they were unpopular with the audience, with Lisa telling them to “shut up.”
After a failed rendition of Shayne Ward’s ‘That’s My Goal,’ Lisa responded to judge Natalie Imbruglia by asking who she was. Tensions then boiled over as Abbey elbowed Lisa in the face, and Lisa gave the judges the middle finger before leaving.
6. Ryan Ruckledge’s Drunken Boot Camp Performance
In 2015, after singers were split into groups and instructed to work on a group performance, contestant Ryan Ruckledge had friction with group members and made it clear he wasn’t a fan of the chosen song. So, he decided to get drunk instead of rehearsing with the others. He showed up the next day seemingly still drunk, dominating the performance and slut dropping multiple times. Simon Cowell called him a “horror of a human being.” Later, Ruckledge claimed that producers egged him on to drink.
7. Rylan Clark’s Hysterical Crying
Despite being something of a joke act, Rylan Clark was put through to the live shows in 2012 by mentor Nicole Scherzinger. When she broke the news, his dramatic reaction — which involved collapsing on the floor sobbing, was one for the history books. He later revealed that the full breakdown lasted 23 minutes, and that he was hungover after too much vodka the night before. He is now a household name and presenter on multiple British TV shows.
8. Cheryl’s The X Factor USA Firing
Thanks to The X Factor UK, Cheryl (then known as Cheryl Cole) became a national treasure. So much so that she was picked to be a judge in The X Factor USA’s first Season in 2011. However, just weeks into filming she was unceremoniously dropped and replaced by Nicole Scherzinger. It was claimed at the time that producers were worried nobody would understand her Geordie accent.
9. The X Factor New Zealand Judges’ Bullying Allegations
In 2015, viewers of The X Factor New Zealand were left open-mouthed after married couple and judges on the show, Natalia Kills and Willy Moon, slung insults at contestant Joe Irvine live on TV. Natalie accused Joe of copying her husband’s aesthetic and branded him as “disgusting” and “creepy.” Willy then joined in on the insults, comparing Joe to Norman Bates. Subsequently, the pair were sensationally fired from the show.
