Olly Murs “devastated” as pal Jon Goodey struggled at X Factor
The co-host admits it “wasn’t very nice” to watch as his former band mate from The Small Town Blaggers failed to impress the judges
The X Factor co-host Olly Murs has admitted he was “devastated” to see his former band mate and friend Jon Goodey struggle in front of the judges on tonight’s opening show.
Essex lad Jon Goodey, 27, used to be part of a duo with Murs called The Small Town Blaggers (blame Murs for the name) and after years of persuasion from his former band mate decided to come and audition.
“I watch people like Olly week in week out doing what they love. If I could make a career out of music I would do that for the rest of my life,” Goodey explained.
But out in front of the judges, he struggled to get into the swing of the audition, halting his first song and finding it difficult to look up from the floor. “You’re lacking that star quality presence you need to be a performer,” Rita Ora said, with Simon Cowell concurring: “I can’t lie to you and say to you that I would believe in you.”
“Unfortunately you might be remembered as Olly’s duo friend rather than for your individuality and your own performance,” Cheryl Fernandez-Versini added, the final nail in the coffin before he was given four nos.
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On the sidelines, Murs could be seen getting tearful (X Factor, please don’t ever let us see that face again. Yikes. All the emotions) telling press at the launch earlier this week “it wasn’t very nice”.
“I was devastated. Jon’s a really good friend of mine. I’ve known him obviously for years. But the judges have got to do what they’ve got to do,” Murs explained.
“They’ve got to put my friendship aside and judge the audition. I think Jon knew when he walked off that he didn’t do that best audition. But obviously, from a personal point of view, I was devastated for him because he’s a close friend of mine. So it wasn’t very nice. But you know it is what it is.”
The X Factor continues Sunday at 8:00pm on ITV
