Tulisa rejects X Factor criticism

X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos has defended the treatment of Pink tribute act Zoe Alexander, who accused the show of humiliating her.

The singer reacted violently and swore at cast and crew when she was told she was not good enough at her audition in Cardiff earlier this year.

Speaking to the Press Association in June, Alexander, 22, from Caerphilly, South Wales, said the show deliberately tried to "make me out to be this girl with a bad attitude".

But speaking at a press launch for the ITV1 talent search, Tulisa said the show did not need to change the way it treats contestants.

She said: "I thought she seemed quite a strong character from the level of aggression she was giving off.

"At the end of the day there is always going to be the odd person that throws this massive hissy fit and everyone goes 'Oh my God' and there are thousands of people over the years who have auditioned and just because this one person can't control their temper, throws a bit of a fit, I don't think it's a reason for everyone to go, 'Oh my God, you've got to think about their emotions'.

"That was one person, that's her with her own issues and she chose to bring those issues to the stage."

Richard Holloway, managing director of Thames which makes The X Factor, said the team behind the show had "had conversations" with Alexander since the incident and she was "fine".

The show has been criticised before for its treatment of contestants in the audition process.

Last year, the charity Rethink Mental Illness accused it of setting Ceri Rees "up to fail" after a tuneless audition and show bosses canned footage of another eccentric performance in 2010 after concerns were raised about hopeful Shirlena Johnson's health.