The X Factor: Rylan Clark-Neal Pokes Fun At Cheryl And Liam Payne's Romance

The X Factor returned to our screens last weekend and that means the return of its sister show, The Xtra Factor.

ITV bosses got rid of last year’s presenters Melvin Odoom and Rochelle Humes and brought in X Factor alumni Rylan Clark-Neal and radio presenter Matt Edmondson, also chancing it by making the show live and bringing in a weekly studio audience.

Thankfully, the show has been a roaring success, and that’s partly down to much-loved presenter Rylan, who has the rare ability of dropping both hilarious and topical quips at the drop of a hat.

Well, last night’s episode of the show saw perhaps the best Rylan-clanger yet, with the star being left to host solo as Matt’s wife Bryony went into labour just before they were supposed to go live.

By the way, we also owe Matt and Bryony a huge congratulations on the birth of their baby girl last night - CONGRATS, GUYS.

Anyways, ever the diplomat, Rylan decided to get to the bottom of a tiff that Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh had had over on the main show over which judge had said no to One Direction’s Irish heartthrob Niall Horan when he first auditioned back in 2010.

Simon, in another attempt to get one-up on Lou-Lou, announced that his fellow judge had rejected the star, with Louis insisting that it wasn’t him who’d said no but guest judge Katy Perry.

Well, as Rylan proved, they were both wrong, with Ry showing footage from Niall’s audition that showed Katy, Louis and Simon had all said ‘Yes’ to Niall, but Cheryl gave him a pretty brutal 'No’.

Yikes.

Rylan went on to say how Cheryl could have very easily prevented One Direction from ever existing and/ or having their huge, international success if Niall hadn’t got through that first fateful audition.

He then made a subtle jibe at Cheryl’s current romance with 1D star Liam Payne, quipping: “That would have affected her personal life of late.”

Ba dum tsh.

The studio audience obviously erupted into laughter as a sheepish Rylan promptly changed the subject.

Ah, Rylan Clark-Neal, never change… Never change.