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Fans Shocked As Simon Cowell Tells X Factor Contestant She's 'Overweight' In Resurfaced Clip

Fans Shocked As Simon Cowell Tells X Factor Contestant She's 'Overweight' In Resurfaced Clip

​A shocking clip of Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne urging a 2004 X Factor contestant to 'go on a diet' has been unearthed on Twitter.

Lisa McLoughlin

Lisa McLoughlin

A shocking clip of Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne urging a 2004 X Factor contestant to "go on a diet" has been unearthed on Twitter.

The music managers alongside fellow judge Louis Walsh have come under intense backlash for their fat-shaming comments towards hopeful Samantha on the singing contest's inaugural series.

In her VT, Samantha explains how she cancelled her honeymoon for the chance to audition in front of the industry experts and admits, "If I don't get through, I'll be absolutely gutted".

Watch the clip below:

Samantha, who is still on a high from her wedding day, is then seen entering the audition room and initially wins over head judge Simon when she explains she skipped her honeymoon for the chance to sing for them.

After delivering her rendition of Mariah Carey's Hero, Westlife manager Louis cruelly tells her: "I think you should have gone on your honeymoon. I really do. It's nothing special Simon."

To which Simon, who was given the nickname Mr Nasty at the time, adds: "You sound nice, but you look like a shop girl, that's the problem."

Despite the comments, Samantha is determined to get through to the next round and says: "OK. That's something that can be worked on."

A contestant named Samantha was told to go on a 'diet' (
ITV)

However, the music mogul responds: "Well it's a lot of work."

"I would do anything for this. I know what you're saying," Samantha admits.

"What am I saying?" asks Simon, to which a downcast Samantha says: "...that I'm overweight basically."

He bluntly adds: "You are. You really are."

When asked should they put Samantha through to the next round, Louis coolly says: "I'm going to say no because I think it's Mission Impossible. We've had so many girls like this."

His comment left Sharon protesting: "Mission Impossible? Louis! Nothing is impossible. I think you have a lovely face and a lovely voice."

Louis, Sharon and Simon have received backlash for their comments (
ITV)

Simon then answers 'Yes' but explains it comes with conditions: "Do you know I'm going to say yes because for the simple reason I'd like to see what this girl is willing to do because I think she's got a nice voice and I like her ambition. [It's] down to Sharon."

Sharon then weighs in on her audition and makes one last jaw-dropping comment on Samantha's weight: "Mrs Go-On-A-Diet and I'll see you at the next round."

Later on in the competition, viewers learn that Samantha is in fact seven months pregnant and was expecting at the time of her first audition, which makes the whole situation more shocking.

In light of the resurfaced clip, which was reshared by @FFigureFBust, many shared their shock about how freely the trio spoke about the contestant's weight and admitted they never realised how much of an influence reality shows, such as the X Factor, impacted their body image.

Simon put her through to the second round after the remarks (
ITV)

One stunned Twitter user wrote: "Omg!!! That's shocking".

"I can't stand watching back old tv clips and realising how bad the influence was on teenage girls like myself then, no wonder I felt horrendous over my body," another shared.

"I was never comforted by older woman in my family because they had been influenced to think the same or they felt equally as bad".

A third wrote: "It's no wonder so many of us have horrendous self esteem when these are the shows we grew up watching/thinking was normal!".

"Wow, body shape or size has nothing to do with her vocal talent," a fourth commented. "Terrible to believe this was accepted as recently as it was."

Samantha had cancelled her honeymoon for the audition (
ITV)

Another reflected: "what kills me is that she ends up thinking they've done her a favour in giving her a chance at her dream DESPITE NOT BEING THIN. She's so grateful."

The clip comes after it was announced in July that the X Factor would be shelved for at least five year after 17 years on-air.

The show helped make One Direction, Little Mix and Leona Lewis into the global superstars - however it recently came under fire by former contestants Jedward, Cher Lloyd, and Rebecca Ferguson, who claimed they were exploited during their time on the show.

Featured Image Credit: ITV

Topics: TV & Film, x factor