Tulisa Contostavlos has thanked her ‘X Factor’ family for being "supportive".
The 26-year-old singer and former talent show judge – who fell victim to a drugs sting by a journalist earlier this year – has praised judges Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell for standing by her.
She told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: "Louis was one of the people that stuck by me all the way. He’s a true friend. He openly supported me, not caring at the time what people thought.
"I’d really like to thank the whole of ‘X Factor’, including Simon Cowell, for being so supportive of me."
Tulisa – who left the judging panel in 2013 after two series in the role – will return to the talent show to help Louis whittle down the groups category at judges’ houses in Bermuda.
Her comeback on the show follows the collapse of her drug trial in July this year. Tulisa had been accused of setting up a cocaine deal but she was cleared after it emerged that a key witness for the prosecution had lied in a statement.
The former NDubz star said: "I owe so much to X Factor. I feel like I’m home. Everyone has my back.
"I lost touch with a lot of my friends, people I’ve known for years, when things were at their worst. They disassociated themselves from me and that really hurt."
She added: "This industry is extremely cut-throat and people just cut you off like that. It’s good to know my X Factor family have not disowned me."
Tulisa Contostavlos thanks X Factor ‘family’
