Sharon Osbourne was left eating her words when she learned she would be mentoring the Girls in The X Factor – after admitting that it was the category she wanted the least.
In Saturday night’s episode of the ITV singing programme, the last of the Bootcamp arena auditions, the groups of contestants were matched with each of the four judges.
Before discovering her fate, Osbourne told the show’s host Dermot O’Leary: “As long as I don’t get the Girls, I’ll be happy.”
She added: “They’re too young and I’m too upfront, and I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
However, as the door to a room filled with the female hopefuls opened, Osbourne screeched, the members of the Girls category clamouring around her with glee.
She later said: “I’m in shock. Of course… I want to nurture, I want to be behind these girls, I will do whatever I have to do.
“But was it my first choice? No.”
Simon Cowell was delighted to have been chosen as the mentor for the Groups this year, while Nicole Scherzinger was positively delighted to be given the task of mentoring the Overs – the contestants over the age of 27, both male and female.
Louis Walsh received a mixed reaction from the members of the Boys category as he was revealed as their mentor.
The final Bootcamp audition episode saw the last few hopefuls tasked with performing in front of a large arena crowd, with singers including Slavko – who suffered a plait malfunction when his hair piece flew off his head – Tracy Leanne Jefford, Grace Davies, Taliah Dalorto and Anthony Russell making it through to the tricky Six Chair Challenge round of the competition.
However, for Scottish singer Nicole Caldwell, it was a case of try again after she struggled with her audition due to a serious confidence crisis.
Battling her nerves, the 27-year-old was told to stop by Cowell and given advice by Scherzinger to boost her confidence.
Scherzinger told her: “You are good enough. Look where you are… why don’t you sing for the people?
“All of these people are here rooting for you, OK? Try it again, you’re the only one that’s going to do it, we can’t do it for you but you need to believe in yourself.
“If you don’t believe, we’re not going to believe.”
Caldwell gave it another go and, following her rendition of Alicia Keys’ If I Ain’t Got You, she was sent through to the next round, but not without a word of warning from Osbourne – who would later turn out to become her mentor.
“Get a hold of yourself, this is a huge chance for you,” Osbourne said.
“Nicole and Simon feel strongly about you but I have got to tell you something – I don’t.
“So you’re very lucky they’ve decided to put you through to the Six Chair Challenge, but Mrs, get a grip, alright?”
The X Factor continues on Sunday at 7.30pm on ITV.
