Tulisa brands claims that Misha B's 'X Factor' treatment was racially motivated as 'ludicrous'

Tulisa has branded the suggestions that her treatment of Misha B on The X Factor was “racially motivated” as "ludicrous".

It comes as Misha, who appeared on the 2011 series of the show, alleged she was purposefully depicted as a bully on the programme with help from "scripted" comments from judges Tulisa as well as Louis Walsh.

Misha said via an Instagram live on Sunday night: "My understanding is you’ve created this whole narrative of me being overconfident because I’m black. And in your eyes, black girls should not be confident.”

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Tulisa responded to the claims on Monday night in an Instagram video of her own where she did express regret over the way she delivered her remarks.

The 31-year-old said: "I'm not taking away from how Misha feels, I accept that she is entitled to her opinion and I'm sorry if she feels that the situation was racially motivated.

"I can only speak from my side of the situation which is that it 100% was not. One thing I regret is calling her out publicly the way that I did. If I was the person that I am today, who is more emotionally intelligent and has more life experience, I would have handled it in a very different way and for that, I am truly sorry and I deeply regret.

“But to say and make claims – and I'm not saying she's doing that, but people are online – that it was racially motivated is ludicrous."

Last week, Misha shared footage from one of the live shows which saw her criticised by Walsh for being "over-confident" while Tulisa claimed she had directed "mean comments" at other contestants and instructed her to "put aside the attitude".

Misha's emotional Instagram video saw her disclose that she has been in therapy for eight years due to her experiences on the X Factor which had also left her with post traumatic stress disorder.

She said there had been an incident where she had been accused of saying hurtful things about other acts, including eventual winners Little Mix, which she denied ever doing as she only wanted to "uplift" other contestants.

Tulisa claimed in her video: "There had been an accumulation of things that Misha had done to other contestants, and my contestants backstage. She had made two of my acts cry one of them being on the night that I made those comments.”

She added in her response that she had "called a lot of people out" while on the programme and that it was "nothing to do with skin colour".

A spokesperson for the show told Metro: “We are very concerned to hear Misha’s comments regarding her experience on The X Factor in 2011.

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“We are currently looking into this matter and are reaching out to Misha to discuss the important issues she has raised.

“The welfare of contestants is our priority and we are committed to diversity and equality.”