Gary Barlow: I Regret Picking Frankie For X Factor

Gary Barlow has spoken out about his regrets over choosing Frankie Cocozza as one of his X Factor finalists.

In an interview with The Sun, The X Factor host said that earlier in the week he decided he had made the wrong choice putting the 19-year-old through to the live shows.

"On Monday morning I was thinking I'd made the wrong choice picking him,” he admitted. "I'm doing well with Craig and Marcus but it's Frankie – I just can't ever track him down."

The Take That star added that he thought many of this year’s contestants were letting their instant fame go to their heads. "The trouble with the artists this year is they are all obsessed with Twitter and headlines. It feels like they are all getting a bit above themselves,” he explained. “We are constantly reminding them that they are in a competition. I had a word with all my contestants and I know Kelly Rowland had a word with hers. It's reality check time.

"We are all lucky to be here, we are lucky to be on stage and have millions of people watch us. You don't deserve this. We are lucky."

Gary also had some harsh words for Louis Walsh, claiming that the judge isn’t spending enough time with his protégés. "I think I have seen him once at the house with the contestants. He is in Dublin all week. He doesn't really care,” he said of the Irishman.

“Louis says his acts are focused. That is just panto talk — he uses the same lines every week and if I say a good line he nicks that too.”