Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has lashed out at Gary Barlow after the Take That star humiliated her on national television.
Jesy, 34, was recalling her time on The X-Factor when she hit out at 55-year-old Gary.
Jesy Nelson hits out at Gary Barlow
Speaking to the MailOnline this week, Jesy opened up about her “mortifying” X-Factor audition back in 2011.
The singer, who was just 20 at the time of her audition, failed to impress Gary as she sang Bust Your Windows by Jazmine Sullivan.
The Take That star said Jesy’s audition “lacked individuality” and was “generic”.
However, despite his comments, Jesy managed to impress the other judges – Louis Walsh, Kelly Rowland, and Tulisa Contostavlos, who sent her through to bootcamp. Jesy then made it her mission to win Gary’s approval.
Jesy failed to make it through to boot camp individually. However, she was paired up with Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirwall, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock to make Little Mix. They then went on to win the show under Tulisa’s mentorship.
‘I was mortified’
Speaking about Gary’s comments, Jesy said: “From that minute that he tore me to [bleep], I just wanted to walk off stage. I didn’t care what anyone else had to say. I was just mortified, and all I kept thinking was, I can’t believe all my friends are going to see this. I’m so embarrassed.”
The star, who quit Little Mix in 2020, was left in floods of tears by Gary’s remarks. She claimed that the cameras were quick to capture the moment.
“The rest of the judges all said good comments, but the one bad comment, which just sums me up, is the one that got in my head. I remember coming off stage, and I was really crying, and they were literally shoving the camera in my face, saying: ‘Jesy, can you just say to the camera, Gary, I’m going to prove you wrong’,” he said.
Jesy ‘unsure’ over how honest Gary’s comments were
However, Jesy admitted that in the years since, she hasn’t been sure whether Gary meant his remarks, or whether they were just for TV. However, she said that he delivered them with “conviction”.
“They all had roles as judges, and sometimes they were told what to say, and sometimes they didn’t,” she said.
Though she finds it difficult to look back at her time on The X-Factor, she will be doing just that in her new documentary, Life After Little Mix.
It will air on Amazon Prime on Friday, February 13.
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