Olly Murs on X Factor mistake: “I probably would have chinned Dermot if he’d done the same to me”
X Factor co-host knows what it’s like to stand on that stage as a contestant, so was even more mortified when he mixed up the result
X Factor co-host Olly Murs has spoken out about that live results show mistake, joking he’d have had a thing or two to say to former host Dermot O’Leary had he done the same to him when he was a contestant.
Murs got himself into a bit of a pickle a few weeks back, accidentally saying Monica Michael had been sent home, when the vote was meant to be going back to Deadlock.
“I was mortified. More mortified because of me being a contestant and I know how tense that moment is. That is what really hurt me the most. If that was me on stage I probably would have chinned Dermot. I felt really bad for her and I couldn’t have apologised more. I mean I said sorry about twenty times on stage.”
“We had no idea Monica was leaving the competition,” Murs added, after many rushed to label the show a ‘fix’.
Murs admitted he headed straight to Simon Cowell’s room, thinking he was off to pick up his P45.
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“I walked in like, “Simon, I am so sorry” and he was just like, “Oh, it’s fine, don’t worry about it”. He was really cool about it. Phew!”
The singer turned presenter admitted things got a bit hairy online.
“I really couldn’t believe the kind of hate I was getting. It was quite bad. I went on Twitter for two seconds and I threw my phone. I actually have got a massive crack on my phone where I just threw it.”
But Murs insists he would still do the show if he knew all this scrutiny was going to come his way.
“Of course. When I was asked to do the job with Caroline I couldn’t wait to do it. It was amazing. I think I was a bit naïve and I didn’t think it was going to be as tough as it has been.
“You don’t realise how many people are watching. You don’t realise how much pressure it is every week but I really love it. Saturday for me is the best show. I love Saturday. I get to have a laugh and joke around with Caroline and we get to do what we want. Sunday always reminds me of being a contestant. Sunday is the hardest. You can probably see on TV that I’m really crapping myself. I love the show. From day one in 2009 when I was a contestant, you know, Simon changed my life really so I’m always indebted to the show so to be back on it, I genuinely love it.”
See Alan Carr Chatty Man tonight at 10:00pm on Channel 4
The X Factor continues Saturday and Sunday at 8:00pm on ITV
