X Factor's Christopher Maloney says he 'nearly died' after bad Chinese takeaway

Former X Factor star Christopher Maloney has opened up about almost dying after getting ill from a Chinese takeaway.

The 45-year-old singer - who was a finalist on The X Factor 2012 - said it was so bad that his "organs were shutting down".

Opening up to the Mirror, he said it happened in 2019 and that he fell ill a few hours after eating his duck and pancakes.

Read more: The X Factor's Christopher Maloney hospitalised with mystery illness

He said it was "horrendous" and that he was suffering from a fever and hallucinations.

Maloney soldiered on for a while and kept on performing until he eventually collapsed and was taken to hospital, where he said he learned he had been hit by Campylobacter E-Coli from contaminated food.

"I nearly died," he said. "They were going to remove my colon and put me on a colostomy bag. I honestly nearly died, my organs were shutting down."

The star was in hospital for weeks, first in intensive care and then undergoing tests.

He said he discovered that a parasite embedded itself into his large intestine and that it had given him colitis of the colon and colitis of the large intestine, which he said would never go away.

"It's a lifelong condition that needs to be monitored for the rest of my life," explained the singer.

Maloney is best known for being one of the hopefuls on the X Factor in 2012. He was a finalist in the competition, which was won by chart star James Arthur that year.

Read more: Viewers blast Loose Women for 'bullying' Christopher Maloney over body dysmorphia

In 2016 the star was a Celebrity Big Brother housemate and was the fifth person to be eliminated.

Watch: Katie Waissel says being on The X factor 'ruined' her life