Mum of X Factor contestant Robert Allen has told papers that Robert has vowed to ignore upsetting stories in the national press about his family.

His mum Aldith told the Recorder: “He was upset by a nasty story last week saying he was going for the sympathy vote by talking about his unborn baby. There was also a comment knocking his pregnant girlfriend.

“He’s being brave but it’s been tough. Robert realised he could be in for some stick in the papers but he didn’t think his family would be too.

“I’ve told him he’s got to be strong and focus on what he does best, which is singing.”

Aldith continued: “It’s been a stressful week for Robert. He was sure he’d done enough to escape this week. It left him very deflated.

“Nobody can understand why he keeps being in the bottom two, especially with some of the others left in the competition.”

“He lives to fight another week, and hopefully this will be the end of his bad luck,” she said. “Robert is good enough to make it to the final, I just hope people vote for him.

“He’ll get people swooning this week and will carry it off. I’m begging people to vote.