X Factor: The Band judge Nicole Scherzinger made sure that one contestant was filling their Pussycat Dolls fantasy as she joined the hopeful on-stage for a rendition of her hit Don’t Cha – although fans weren’t that happy about it.
Teenager Robbie Monaghan was ready to prove to the Right There star and her fellow judges Simon Cowell and Leona Lewis that he deserved a place in the programme’s boyband and so took to the stage with his acoustic guitar in hand ready to put his own spin on a pop classic.
When he revealed he would be covering the Pussycat Dolls’ debut single, lead Doll herself Nicole leapt up in applause, although Syco mogul Simon looked a little bit less impressed.
Luckily for Robbie, his acoustic-tinged re-working of the pop classic seemed to earn him a new fan in Nicole, who jumped onto the stage to duet with him too.
And while the audience seemed to love it, viewers at home weren’t as impressed as they took to Twitter to ask Nicole to ‘sit back down’ and to stop ‘stealing Robbie’s limelight’.
Nicole can never let anyone have there own moment can she 😂😂 #xfactortheband
— Cammy👀 (@cameron15xo) December 13, 2019
#xfactortheband robbie's good ,sit back diwn nicole
— I❤tt (@Susanho75586228) December 13, 2019
@JillHudson21 it's Robbie's audition not Nicole's 🙄 #XFactorTheBand
— Roger Lee 🍦 (@rogerlee29) December 13, 2019
Nicole Sherzinger – Professional thunder stealer😂 #XFactorTheBand
— Dan (@dan_langshaw) December 13, 2019
Nicole this isn't about you get off the stage #XFactorTheBand
— Laura (@iqraxahmedx) December 13, 2019
Sit down Nicole we wanna hear Robbie not you #XFactorTheBand
— eastenders fan (@EastendersFan21) December 13, 2019
Nicole making everything about herself again, are we shocked #xfactortheband
— James (@jamesliam_) December 13, 2019
Unfortunately, Robbie didn’t make the final cut, but Boaz Dopemu, Caius Duncome, Fred Roberts, Harrison Cole, Jed Thomas and Reece Wiltshire-Fessey all impressed the judges during the solo audition stages, and have now been put together and introduced to the world as the next boyband.
The programme has already put together its newest girl band, who are hoping to scale the heights of other manufactured bands like former winners Little Mix and OF stalwarts Girls Aloud.
The newly formed sextet is made up of singers Kellimarie Willis, Jess Folley, Luena Martinez, Seorsia Leagh Jack, Virginia Hampson and Halle Williams.
The girls went through the solo audition stages, and ended up impressing the judges so much they were put together and introduced to the world as the next girl band.
New guest judge Leona Lewis has also spoken about the ‘surreal’ experience of swapping positions on the programme 13 (13!) years after first winning.
Speaking on This Morning to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, Leona opened up on the experience of returning to the show that made her a star 13 (yes, 13) years ago.
‘It’s a bit surreal sitting on the other side of the desk,’ Leona shared. ‘I just loved it. It was such a good experience.’
The X Factor: The Band airs on Sunday on ITV.
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