Barlow 'sorry' for remark to Tulisa

X Factor judges Gary Barlow and Tulisa Contostavlos have been locked in peace talks after he accused the N-Dubz star of having "fag-ash breath" in front of millions of viewers.

Barlow has apologised for the remark he made on Saturday's ITV1 programme as show insiders revealed the pair spent time alone in a dressing room discussing their spat after filming finished.

A show source said: "They were locked in a dressing room for peace talks after the show; just the two of them. Gary apologised a lot. Tulisa was angry but eventually she accepted his apology.

"Gary feels really, really bad about what he said. It was speaking without thinking in the spur of the moment and he didn't mean it."

Gary, 41, made the comment after Tulisa criticised the song choice of his act Christopher Maloney.

The Take That singer blurted out: "Tulisa, I don't know what's offended me more: what you said or the fag-ash breath."

Moments later Tulisa interrupted host Dermot O'Leary and said: "Just a note for Gary: lay off the red wine because I can really smell that as well."

Offering an apology on ITV2's The Xtra Factor, Gary said: "Can I apologise to Tulisa; I mean it. You have the freedom to be as personal as you like to me for the rest of the series. Insult me."

Tulisa then told the X Factor spin-off show that Barlow had once said he "loved" the smell of cigarettes because it reminded him of the days he used to smoke.