\'The X Factor: Celebrity\'s \'Love Island\' contestants proved their critics wrong as they were told they have "potential" during their live audition.
Wes Nelson, 21, Samira Mighty, 22, Zara McDermott, 23, and Eyal Booker, 24, revealed they had auditioned separately for the show and had no idea they would be put into a group together.
However, they each showed off their individual vocal talents, with Wes stealing the spotlight with his secret rapping skills during their rendition of Shawn Mendes\' \'There\'s Nothin\' Holding Me Back\' on Saturday night\'s (12.10.19) first episode of the new series.
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Louis Walsh told them: "Guys, I thought it was really good."
The ITV show\'s head honcho, Simon Cowell, was also impressed but said the group need to work on their "distinct sound".
He said: "For a first audition it was a good performance but it\'s finding your distinct sound ... but the fact is you can all sing..."
Ahead of the show, Eyal had said: "We\'re quite musical people, you know, and we enjoy that.
"So if we get the opportunity to get to the next stage then I think there\'s so much more that we wanna bring and showcase to everyone.
"There\'s so many different aspects that if we had the chance to do that then hopefully we\'re going to continue to prove people wrong."
Meanwhile, Jenny Ryan, The Vixen on quiz show \'The Chase\', blew everyone away with her powerful rendition of Queen\'s \'Somebody To Love \'.
After a standing ovation, Louis said: "Where did that come from?! You\'ve got a great voice."
And Simon added: "Good for you."
Hayley Hasselhoff - the daughter of \'Baywatch\' legend David Hasselhoff - oozed "confidence" with her performance of Lewis Capaldi\'s \'Someone You Loved\'.
Nicole Scherzinger commented: "I love your presence, I love that confidence about you."
And former \'Glee\' star Kevin McHale won over the judges with his unique version of Camila Cabello\'s \'Never Be The Same\'.
Louis remarked: "I loved it, I loved the interpretation."
However, former \'Strictly Come Dancing\' star Brendan Cole and \'Holby City\' actor Jeremy Edwards - who named themselves Cole and Edwards - didn\'t get the reception they had hoped for, with the latter slamming the judges.
He fumed: "That was a bit mean, I don\'t like people being mean."
Brendan took to Twitter after the show to reveal he had lost his voice on the day and admitted his "nerves" got the better of him.
He wrote: "For all of you who watched me and Jem on
@TheXFactor
tonight.... Sorry we weren\'t better. Lost my voice on the day so couldn\'t do my harmonies, nerves took over and our soft love song really didn\'t work. Eeek
#dontgiveupthedayjob
#thexfactor #XFactorCelebrity (sic)"
21 March 2026 - 6:13 PM
