The X Factor was rocked by a series of scandals over the weekend, as it emerged that rival reality show Strictly Come Dancing is trouncing it in the ratings.
Little Mix caused a sensation when they performed their new single Shout Out To My Ex in outfits described as too risqué for seven year olds, just days after Mel C had accused them of being too saucy. Meanwhile, Simon Cowell was forced to apologise after making he made a lewd joke at Rylan Clark-Neal’s expense about preferring the ‘back door’.
But the most talked about scandal of the weekend came courtesy of Sharon Osbourne, who left viewers seething with fury when she appeared to forget her contestant’s name.
After Freddy Parker had sung for survival, Sharon was asked to introduce her Finnish singer Saara Alto. But instead of merely announcing her contestant’s name, she made rather a meal of it, by rambling: “Okay, everybody now is the songbird from, er, abroad,” before mouthing to Louis “What’s her name.”
Viewers were quick to attack the legendary music manager and judge, who was apparently paid a six figure sum to return to the series, with some accusing her of being drunk – AGAIN!
One viewer @guffy82 tweeted: “@Xfactor “We would want to do something about Sharon Osborne off her rocker or drunk, making a show of her acts, #whatshername”, while another @ShrekHead sad: “I think Sharon’s drunk on embalming fluid!”
Even Zara Holland from Love Island had a say: “AS IF!!!!! How can Sharon Osborne really forget her own acts name!!!! #TheXfactor #ohno”
But this wasn’t Sharon’s first faux pas of the weekend. On Saturday night’s show (which was watched by 5.8m viewers in comparison to Strictly’s 10m), she introduced Relley C as Saara Alto, after Simon Cowell had whispered her the wrong name.
When she realised her mistake, she jumped to her feature and jokingly took a swipe at Simon.
In spite of Sharon’s faux pas, Saar made it through to another week after judges went to deadlock and left it for the viewers to decide who was saved.