Matt Richardson has hit back at claims he lacked chemistry with Caroline Flack on ‘The Xtra Factor’.
The 22-year-old comic – who joined ‘The X Factor’ companion show last year, replacing Olly Murs – is rumoured to be facing the axe after failing to impress viewers, but Matt insists he and Caroline, 34, got on and worked well together.
Speaking at the Disney and Paul & Joe Sister launch party in London’s Covent Garden last night (13.02.14), Matt exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "For six months we just had a real laugh and it was really good, and I was really happy with all the stuff we did on the show. It wasn’t for everyone … some people went, ‘We miss Caroline and Olly flirting’, but we had a whole different dynamic.
"We’re doing a new show on ITV2 together so if it didn’t work they wouldn’t have given us our own show together. People going we didn’t get on, it’s not true because we’re doing something new together."
As for his fate on ‘The Xtra Factor’, Matt says he won’t know if he’s coming back until later in the year despite speculation he has already been axed.
He said: "We’ve not started talking to them yet. I’ve spoken to the producers since that story came out about me not coming back and they called up and said, ‘Honestly, we’ve not even mentioned your name for weeks.’ I don’t know … I could not do it again, or I could do it again."
The stand-up comedian would love to work with show creator Simon Cowell, who is returning to the UK version of the show this year as a judge, and Cheryl Cole, who is rumoured to be making a comeback too.
Matt revealed: "I would love to go on it again just because I’d love to work with Simon. I’ve never met him, which is weird because he was my boss. And it’d be amazing to meet Cheryl. Cheryl and Simon … when I used to watch it when I was younger, that was the line-up!
"Working with Sharon [Osbourne] is an honour and I still keep in touch with her, I consider her a friend of mine. It’d be cool to have the chance to meet and chat with Cheryl and Simon like that."
And Matt would love to see Green Day rocker Billie Joe Armstrong join the singing competition’s elite judging panel.
He explained: "My dream panel would be Simon, Louis – obviously got to have Louis – Cheryl would be amazing to have on, and I’d put Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day. I think he would be really different and kind of be really no-nonsense about it, and give a really different perspective to the show."
Matt also weighed in on Nicole Scherzinger’s apparent exit from the panel and says he understands her departure in order to concentrate on her music career.
He added: "She’s got a busy year, she’s going to do an album, I think, so she’s got loads of stuff going on. If she quits it’s not because she’s not right for the show it’s because she’s got loads going on."
Matt Richardson hits back at Xtra Factor critics
