Last night was the grand final of The X Factor, and all eyes should’ve been on Grace Davies and band Rak-Su as the two acts sought to be crowned winner of the series.
However, it was one of the ITV show’s previous winners – Little Mix – who got everyone talking at the showcase event at London’s ExCel.
The four-piece, who won The X Factor in 2011, appeared on stage to perform their hit singles Power and Reggaeton Lento.
And the costumes the girls were wearing sparked a massive debate on Twitter, with many fans slamming them for being inappropriate for pre-watershed telly.
As the four-piece – Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall – entered the arena to perform with US group CNCO, they were kitted out in modest black suits.
But halfway through their performance, the girls whipped off the jackets and trousers to reveal that they were wearing skintight hotpants and leotards underneath.
And after a few minutes of thrusting and gyrating, some viewers decided that enough was enough, and took to Twitter to give the big thumbs-down.
One scoffed: “I thought Little Mix looked very nice in their suits on X Factor… then they stripped off so Jesy could thrust her [expletive] towards the camera. I’d rather watch a Bushtucker Trial than that again.”
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Another mocked: “I recognise Little Mix now they’ve taken their clothes off.”
And a third said sarcastically: “Wow, yeah, almost looked respectable and a suitable role model for young girls for a minute there…”
“Does it not occur to @LittleMix that they can actually keep their kit on?” said someone else.
But not everyone was dismissive of the act, and some viewers loved it.
One gushed: “Really digging the suits they wore, being strong powerful women #girlcrushes.”
Another pointed out: “Little Mix getting slated for their outfits and being compared to prostitutes, but if it was a guy ripping his shirt off nothing would be said??”
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And a third fan commented: “So Little Mix aren’t good role models JUST bc of their outfits? My nieces watch their vids all the time, and not once did they say they want to wear playsuits, bc they know those are performance costumes. MAYBE IT’S HOW YOU RAISE YOUR KIDS?????”
Little Mix weren’t the only ones to get grief during the final, which was won by Rak-Su – Nicole Scherzinger also got it in the neck from some fans.
The American judge, 39, was her usual exuberant self, whooping and jigging as Little Mix prepared to start their performance. But some viewers saw that as her trying to steal the limelight.
One fumed: “Why’s Nicole dancing to Little Mix on the X Factor final when they ain’t even started the song yet? Sit down ya clown.”
And another scathed: “Nicole dances like an embarrassing mum trying to be cool at a gig with her kid! Stay still, woman!!!”