X Factor Matt Cardle and One Direction's Zain Malik forced to pull out of secret gig

Bad throat: Matt Cardle met fans but could not sing
11 April 2012
The Weekender

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X Factor contestant Matt Cardle and One Direction's Zain Malik were forced to miss out performing at a semi-finalists' secret gig.

Cardle, 27, turned up to meet fans but had to rest his singing voice because of a sore throat, while Malik, 17, was absent from the event because of a personal matter, show bosses said.

After posing for photographs at London's Hospital Club, Cardle said: "Everybody's been a bit down, health-wise. But I was recording earlier today and it was getting quite painful so I needed to curtail it until Saturday. I hope it's all right."

The remaining members of One Direction and the other semi-finalists Mary Byrne, Cher Lloyd and Rebecca Ferguson sang at the intimate event, organised by show sponsors TalkTalk.

They also signed autographs and posed for photographs with lucky competition winners.

An X Factor spokeswoman said Malik was expected to rejoin his bandmates to perform on Saturday's ITV1 show.

Katie Waissel and Wagner Carrilho were booted out of the show in a double elimination on Sunday night.

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