[JonathanLGardner]

Ella Ferguson will steal the headlines with her heart-melting performance in the first episode of this year’s X Factor (we totally had something in our eye by the way) but the prize for best stage exit must go to Zoe Alexander.

The Welsh Pink impersonator threw her mic to the ground, launched a stinging four-letter tirade at the judges, attacked a camera and shoved over an X Factor producer as she stormed off the stage.

Her reaction was outrageous, but she has explained that what we didn’t see was the way that X Factor producers strung her along for over a month and set her up for a fall. There’s no doubt it was captivating television, but was it made for the right reasons and should we feel comfortable watching someone exploited in such a way for our entertainment?

Gary Barlow & Co. explained told her that they were looking for a star of the future and not a tribute act, which is understandable. At this week’s launch event Louis protested that “we gave her two chances!” and that “she came dressed as Pink!” yet the Doublespeak on display was clear for all to see.

When one journalist pushed the judges on whether Zoe had been set up, they denied any involvement (completely plausible as the show has a string of preliminary judges who decide who goes forward and who doesn’t) and some ITV stooge explained that they’ve talked to her since and “she’s fine” before ignoring follow-up questions and moving on. Yet it wasn’t difficult to read between the lines. Dermott explained that it was her choice to sing Pink, but it’s clear that she was strongly encouraged to do so by producers. It’s a bit like your lawyer ‘advising’ you to plead guilty and claiming it was “your choice” when you get life.

Alexander’s reaction was obviously unacceptable (she was eventually cautioned by police for assaulting a producer) yet it if what she says about the way she was manipulated behind the scenes is true, it’s not hard to empathise with her on some level.

“When the judges rejected me I realised I had been manipulated by the X Factor for the previous six weeks,” she told The Daily Mirror in June. “They lured me in, coaxed me and even chose my song all with the intention of setting me up for a fall. I am really shocked at the lengths they will go to to set people up for humiliation.”

“They knew I had a bit of attitude on stage – which is nothing like I am in real life. When Gary Barlow told me I was just a Pink tribute act I was stunned – that’s exactly what the producers asked me to be. They mocked me and made fun out of what I do for a living.”

Some will say that ITV are in the business of making an entertainment show and people know what they’re signing up for (or at least they certainly should by now!) but it leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

http://channelhopping.onthebox.com/2...-alexander-up/

Expose!

[Doc]

“When the judges rejected me I realised I had been manipulated by the X Factor for the previous six weeks,” she told The Daily Mirror in June. “They lured me in, coaxed me and even chose my song all with the intention of setting me up for a fall. I am really shocked at the lengths they will go to to set people up for humiliation.”

They really do that, all that work for 6 prior weeks, just to get ONE bad audition?

Doing the most.

[fanoftalent]

I feel bad for her. That's why dislike these reality music shows. They're staged and manipulate people and in many cases make fun of them for the sake of entertaining the masses.

[PopBoi]

Of course they said that.

Originally posted by fanoftalent

I feel bad for her. That's why dislike these reality music shows. They're staged and manipulate people and in many cases make fun of them for the sake of entertaining the masses.

And people still do it, its their own fault. I don't feel sorry for her. She attacked a producer and threw all the staging stuff around.

[BlazingLovatic]

The ratings went down a lot last year but manipulating people to try and get higher ratings is just...inhumane

[PopBoi]

People clearly don't know the full story. The judges asked her to sing another song and she was terrible for a second time. She wasn't manipulated, Gary didn't like her doing Pink, he isn't the producer.

[Starburst]

Originally posted by PopBoi

People clearly don't know the full story. The judges asked her to sing another song and she was terrible for a second time. She wasn't manipulated, Gary didn't like her doing Pink, he isn't the producer.

But they said that the reason they were sending her home was a lack of identity.

[PopBoi]

Originally posted by Starburst

But they said that the reason they were sending her home was a lack of identity.

After she sang another song. Not the Pink song.

[prunejuicemontes]

Originally posted by PopBoi

After she sang another song. Not the Pink song.

+1

[LeonazNumber#1]

She was still giving the Pink badass attitude when she was singing a ballad by Emeli Sandé and her vocals were weak anyway.

[Starburst]

Originally posted by PopBoi

After she sang another song. Not the Pink song.

Gurl, you gone make me quote this staged mess:

I'm confused with the identity issue, coming out saying you want an identity and then singing P!NK. I thought the second song was much better.

[toanythingtaboo]

I don't feel sorry for her, but it's been obvious for a while that this show manipulates the hell out of everything.

I wouldn't be surprised by the extremes they go to in order for ratings.

[madonnafan18]

I feel sorry for her.

[PopBoi]

Originally posted by Starburst

Gurl, you gone make me quote this staged mess:

Like I said, if this girl really was advised to sing a Pink song by the producers (she wasn't forced to do anything), it's not the judges fault. Then judges said they didn't like the second performance, which wasn't a PInk song and she still acted like she was doing a pink tribute after they told her they didnt want that.

[Schoolin' Life]

The girl didn't deserve to go through, anyway. Have you heard her rendition of "next to me"?

[phreshprince]

Just saw the video. DAMN!

[Benjamin]

The X Factor has truly become a Circus over the last few years, and the producers don't even try to hide it anymore. It's practically a version of Big Brother where (some) of the participants are (slightly) talented. The show's clearly going down if they continue like this.

The only real thing about the show is the results of the public vote, and even that's heavily influenced by the scripting. Everything else from Auditions to Judges Houses to the Live Shows is clearly all decided upon by producers, and now Simon's gone none of the judges have any say in what happens.

[SLAYANNA NAVY]

She was terrible anyways manipulation or not But X-Factor is truly dying, I dont see it lasting another series after this one tbh.

[EnoughSaid]

The whole thing is so obviously staged. Right from the moment Louis' first comment was "You look like Pink" it was obvious. They set her up but she wasn't good anyway.

[crumprKID]

Yall don't expect a lot of this **** to be staged???