Have a box of tissues on stand-by and move any pricey Versace cushions out of the way: Rylan Clark-Neal is returning to the X Factor.
The TV presenter, whose career began when he entered The X Factor in 2012, has been lined up for the Xtra Factor.
Clark-Neal will be joining Radio 1’s Matt Edmondson as the new host of the spin-off show, replacing last year’s duo of The Saturdays singer Rochelle Humes and Melvin Odoom.
Rylan and Matt will be leading the show at it becomes a live series for the first time, featuring reactions from a studio audience immediately following the broadcast of each episode.
Revealing the news on ITV’s This Morning, Rylan said: “I’m very honoured and over the moon. After four years of being away, I’m back.”
Speaking of his new co-host, he said: “We just get on so well, we are literally over the moon. We did our promo shoot yesterday.”
Rylan also confirmed that he won’t be quitting his role as presenter of Big Brother’s Bit on the Side to take the Xtra Factor gig.
“I’m not leaving Big Brother,” he said. “I love Big Brother with all my heart. I’m just going to be working like a dog.”
While the Xtra Factor will feature a new line-up, the main series will see a return to the classic judges: Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Nicole Scherzinger, and Sharon Osbourne. Dermot O’Leary is also returning as the main show host.
X Factor Manchester auditions
Rylan made a name for himself on the X Factor in 2012 when he had a notably emotional reaction after finding out he’d made it to the live shows.
He recently revealed in his autobiography The Life of Rylan that his full ‘meltdown’ lasted for 23 minutes, and that the Versace cushion he wiped his face with was worth almost £2000.
He wrote: “Unfortunately for the hotel it was a $2,500 Versace-limited edition cushion, which by this point was covered in the remaining make up that hadn't already melted off my face. At one point Nicole even asked if there was a paramedic because she thought I was having a fit.
“I needed to assure everyone that I was just so shocked and not dying on the spot. This breakdown went on for no less than 23 minutes.”
