Nicole Scherzinger storms off X Factor set following six chair challenge meltdown days after Sharon Osbourne also broke down during filming
JUDGE Nicole Scherzinger stormed off the X Factor set after having a meltdown during filming.
The singer, 39, became overwhelmed as tensions reached fever pitch while recording the controversial six-chair challenge section of the show on Thursday night.
She walked off stage at Wembley Arena on the brink of tears — leaving the audience in shock and producers fearing she may not return.
Nicole — whittling her Overs category from 20 contestants to six — had been booed by the crowd, who disagreed with some of her decisions.
An X Factor source said: “Nicole left the set upset as the situation was so intense and it all got too much for her.
“It was a long and stressful day and it wasn’t helped by the fact the crowd were not on Nicole’s side for some of her choices.
“Before filming had commenced, the audience were encouraged by the show’s production staff to be vocal about what they thought of her choices.
“They took this on board and were very loud, but unfortunately for Nicole at times it did mean a deafening shower of boos and jeers.”
And due to the nature of the six-chair challenge, Nicole had been left to judge alone without the support of fellow panel members Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh.
She was then comforted backstage by show staff, who feared she was too upset to continue with the decision-making process.
The insider added: “Nicole was very upset and had to be reassured by show’s producers she was making the decisions that she felt were best.
"At one point some were concerned that Nicole might not come back on stage because she was that upset.
"Despite Nicole being a seasoned judge, they believed she was finding the process more difficult than ever.
“The boos from the audience reached their peak when one popular contestant was dumped by Nicole.
"She later changed her mind and decided to send them through to judges’ houses.”
Former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole, who is in a relationship with tennis ace Grigor Dimitrov, 26, has not been the only judge to feel the pressure during the new X Factor set-up.
The Sun revealed earlier this week that Sharon, 64, who is mentoring the Girls’ category, struggled to contain her emotions as she was booed.
Production staff had to warn their audience their behaviour was “unfair”.
