Tuesday, 30 September 2008

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SEE VIDEO Simon Cowell angers X Factor judges with last-minute contestant switch

Dumped hopeful Rikki Loney speaks out about final line-up row

Simon Cowell decided the judges had made the wrong decision over 15-year-old Liam Payne

Simon Cowell is said to have caused arguments on the set of The X Factor by switching a contestant at the last minute.

The judge, 48, changed his mind during the boot camp stages of the show and decided 15-year-old Liam Payne should be in the final 24 instead of Scottish hopeful Rikki Loney.

‘I'm gutted. Simon decided to dump me in favour of someone else at the last minute,’ Ricky says.

‘Cheryl and Dannii weren’t happy with this and that’s why they were arguing.’

The 21-year-old was told he did not make the final stages – unaware that until Simon reconsidered, he had a place in the 14-24-year-old boy’s category.

He says Cheryl, 25, told him: 'I'm so sorry.' 

'She gave me a big hug and told me to keep singing. She told me she was just as upset by Simon's decision,' he tells the Daily Star. 

The final 24 contestants were shown on ITV1 on Sunday.

SEE VIDEO Liam Payne being brought back on The X Factor boot camp show…

Holly Arnold