Apparently, one of last year’s X Factor hopefuls – who was eliminated because he was deemed to be too young at 15 years old – Mali Michael McCalla, has refused a personal request from Simon to try out for the show again this year.

However, The Sun today has revealed that Mali is “On the brink of a £1million boyband deal” and according to a friend of his, Mali “doesn’t want to be associated with reality shows any more.” The new band is called NSA and they’re being backed by US producers.

Mali was a big hit with the judges last year but given he was only 15, they eventually decided that the pressures of the show may prove too much for him but they’d hoped he’d be back this year. Read more & comment »

Mali Michael McCalla, 15 from London

Mali is part of a reggae/funk band at school and has been singing for as long as he can remember after being inspired by his Dad who is the lead singer of a band called Manfred Mans Earth Band. Although still at school, music is all Mali wants to do and if X Factor doesn’t work out for him he’d like to produce music or go into A&R.