Mel B reduces pensioner to tears on X Factor - Tuslia insists: ‘she’s keeping it real’

Saturday, August 18, 2012
8:07 AM

Mel B leaves an 82-year-old contestant on the verge of tears in the ‘X Factor’ tonight (Saturday).

The Spice Girls singer - who was a guest judge on the ITV1 show’s auditions earlier this year - earns the title of Miss Nasty in tonight’s episode when she slams a number of wannabes including elderly crooner Lou, who receives kinder words from other panellists Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos and Louis Walsh.

Following his performance, Mel says, “I wanted to fall asleep through that,” which leaves Lou looking devastated.

The brunette beauty - who also takes a swipe at Victoria Beckham in the episode when she puts a line of Spice Girls dolls up in her dressing room, but then jokingly removes the fashion designer from the lineup - dishes up a number of scathing comments for other wannabes, which leads Gary to ask her why she is being so mean.

However, Tulisa didn’t see anything wrong with the singer’s no-nonsense approach to judging and believes her comments were only what the majority of people were thinking.

The N-Dubz singer told BANG Showbiz: “I can’t say anything bad about her. I just thought she was saying what everyone else was thinking. Mel B just keeps it real.”

But Tulisa - who won the competition last year with girl band Little Mix - was concerned for fellow judge Louis’ safety when Pink tribute act Zoe Alexander lashed out at the judges and pushed a cameraman after her audition.

Speaking at the ‘X Factor’ launch in London, she added: “I didn’t fear for my safety. I feared for Louis’.

“She seemed like a tough cookie and out of all the judges, I thought Louis was the one who probably needed defending.”

Series nine of ‘The X Factor’ launches tonight at 8pm on ITV1.