Jesy Nelson has slammed ‘The X Factor’ for letting novelty acts through into the live round.
The 25-year-old singer – who won the ITV talent show in 2011 with Little Mix – has admitted if the likes of Honey G and Bratavio made it the final stages of the competition when the ‘Black Magic’ hitmakers competed, she would have been annoyed because it’s "unfair" when so many "incredible" singers are let go.
She said: "I don’t think it’s fair that novelty acts get through. I get it in that it becomes a little niche thing and everyone finds it funny, but I just think it’s so unfair when so many incredible people don’t get through.
"If that would’ve been [the case] on our year, I would’ve been f****d off."
The girl group – also comprised of Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock – all stand by Jesy’s comments.
Jade added: "Even in our year there were artists like Kitty [Brucknell] who were seen as novelty, but she was still an incredible singer."
And while Leigh-Anne says while there is "no excuse" for the judges, Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Nicole Scherzinger and Louis Walsh, giving into the such artists she knows how the show works and understands it is for "entertainment" purposes.
She told Digital Spy: "At the same time you have to remember that ‘The X Factor’ is an entertainment show – they want to get people watching.
"You have to take it for what it is, as annoying as it can be. It’s funny watching it because we know what goes on behind closed doors.
"We know how it all works. And you do know when you’re on the show who gets more camera time and all that."
Little Mix will return to ‘The X Factor’ on Saturday (15.10.16) for their first live performance of their new single, ‘Shout Out To My Ex’.
Jesy Nelson slams The X Factor
