Alexandra Burke has denied reports that X Factor stars are told to cry on stage by producers. However she did admit that they are told to let their emotions show.

Burke told The Evening Standard: “Oh, no, no, no-one’s telling them to cry. I mean, they do advise you not to be too professional. They say, whatever emotion you feel, just let it out.

“If you’re acting too professional, that will be your biggest downfall. It’s like, people on that stage are crying for their dreams.”

She added: “All that anger or sadness or anxiety that you might feel in the week builds up, and builds up, and then it’s just that one moment on a Saturday night. On live TV. They do say, ‘Don’t repress it’. Otherwise you don’t look human.”