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The X Factor: Celebrity's Jenny Ryan had 'quite a wait' for Simon Cowell's invite back

Jenny Ryan delivered a powerful performance at her audition. (ITV)
Jenny Ryan delivered a powerful performance at her audition. (ITV)

The Chase quizzer Jenny Ryan has spoken out for the first time about being brought back onto The X Factor: Celebrity after initially being given the boot.

Appearing on This Morning today, 37-year-old Ryan - who competes on the quiz show as The Vixen - spoke with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford about getting asked back onto the programme by Simon Cowell, admitting she’d shed a few tears before the judges’ decision was reversed.

She explained: "I had the auditions, I’d been told I wasn’t going through. Came home, cried a little bit, ate quite a lot of ice cream – which I probably shouldn’t do as it’s not very good for the throat, dairy!

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"Then I got a phone call after what felt like the longest time, it was quite a wait, and I got a phone call from Simon inviting me to come back."

Holmes questioned whether Cowell had admitted he was wrong prompting Ryan to laugh and answer: "Not quite! But it was inferred. I inferred it from what he said."

Jenny Ryan appeared on 'This Morning' today. (ITV)
Jenny Ryan appeared on 'This Morning' today. (ITV)

Ryan was told by the Overs category judge Nicole Scherzinger that she wouldn't be making it through to the live shows following her audition, where she gave a powerful rendition of Queen's Somebody To Love.

After the episode aired, many fans were in uproar over Ryan's dismissal from the programme, including presenter Rylan Clark-Neal who vented: "Nah sorry @jenlion ROBBED fuming. Come round ours for karaoke . Not avin it."

As Ryan's return was announced, Scherzinger said in a statement: “Jenny was just brilliant at her audition in LA. That voice of hers is one of a kind, and she's an amazing person to get to know. So it was such a tough decision to make.

Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger arrives at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester for auditions for the new series of the X Factor.
Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger arrives at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester for auditions for the new series of the X Factor.

“After a lot of discussion we all agreed we had to put her through. The Overs are gonna smash it this year!"

Ryan also shared a tweet today, revealing she was "devastated" at not originally getting through to the next round but expressed her excitement at being part of the live shows which commence on Saturday.

Her message read: "I was DEVASTATED that the judges didn't put me through, but the tidal wave of love & support I got from you all was incredibly uplifting, I am SO grateful. I'm thrilled to have been thrown this lifeline, I won't let you down. See you at the Lives on Saturday! #XFactorCelebrity."

Vinnie Jones had originally been billed as a contestant, however, he did not appear at the audition stages as the pre-recorded episodes had taken place in July shortly after the death of his wife Tanya Jones.

But Jones will be competing after all, as Saturday night's episode saw Cowell invite him onto the live shows, an invitation that the former footballer accept.