'I don't have an eating problem,' insists X Factor's Cher Lloyd as she dismisses rumours she's dropping out

By LIZ THOMAS

Setting the record straight: The teen has denied rumours she has an eating disorder


She appears nervous, frail and ill-equipped to handle the rigours of The X Factor.
But teenager Cher Lloyd has hit back at critics insisting she did not have an eating disorder and was capable of handling the demands of the show.

She insisted she wanted to win the competition and dismissed claims she would drop out.

There have been concerns for the painfully thin contestant since she first auditioned on the programme.

Show insiders and fellow contestants have commented on how little the 17 year-old eats, her tiny frame, and her nervous disposition.

Speculation about her ability to cope was fuelled by her poor performance at the judge’s houses stage of the competition.

Viewers watched as she broke down in tears after barely managed to sing a few bars of her song because of suspected tonsillitis.

But Miss Lloyd told the Daily Mail: 'I am eating. There is no problem. Of course I am eating I wouldn’t be able to perform [this Saturday] if I wasn’t.

'At judge’s houses it wasn’t the pressure that was affecting me it was frustration. I knew I could smash that song.

'Off stage I am very nervous but as soon I as I get on stage then it is different. I will be fine.'

The student from Malvern, Worcestershire, also rejected claims she was simply a clone of mentor Cheryl Cole – after criticism from some fans of the show that she had only got through because she was the star’s 'pet'.


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She said: ‘I am not a mini-Cheryl. I am my own person. I feel like if you like me, you like me - if you don’t then I’ll see you later. I don’t have to try to be different from Cheryl I am my own person.'

There has been outrage at Miss Cole’s decision to put through Miss Lloyd and fellow finalist Katie Waissel, despite their poor performances at the judge’s houses stage

The girls admitted that their 28 year-old mentor had barely been in touch since then and had not spoken to them despite the fallout over her decision to put them through instead of Zimbabwean Gamu Nhengu.

Thousands have complained about the decision with scores threatening to boycott voting until she is reinstated - a move that could throw the television hit into chaos.


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Micro blogging site Twitter was full of fans planning to show their displeasure by gathering support to ‘boycott the votes’ for Miss Waissell, 24, and Miss Lloyd, 17.
In addition to this, tens of thousands joined Facebook groups calling for tactical voting.

Facebook groups were set up, including ‘Nobody Vote for Cher Lloyd or Katie Waissel on X Factor', 'Cher and Katie should be out of X Factor' as well as 'Katie Waissel out and Get Gamu Nhengu In'.

Surprisingly Miss Cole has not spoken to her three finalists this week and has only passed on messages of support, in spite of the enormous backlash.

They said she will see them for the first time today to go over plans for Saturday night’s live show.

Miss Cole insisted she was advised not to put through Miss Nhengu after it emerged that her family, who fled Zimbabwe for Scotland eight years ago, did not have the right to remain here.


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The family now faces deportation although the lawyers representing them insist they will fight any plans to remove them.

The 18-year-old singer has been told she must return to her homeland of Zimbabwe after her mother’s visa renewal application was turned down.

The teenager's mother Nokuthula Ngazana had been allowed to stay in the UK while she studied at university, with Nhengu permitted to remain in the country as her dependant

But Ms Ngazana’s application to remain in the country was turned down, with the UK Border Agency saying it did not ‘meet all of the conditions for approval'.


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The family have been told they do not have a right of appeal and must leave the UK by their own accord or face deportation.

Solicitor Frances Farrell, who is representing them, vowed to take the fight to keep the family in Scotland to the Court of Session in Edinburgh if necessary.


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She told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland: ‘It’s difficult for me to comment without seeing the written decision but I think their position is going to be that the original application was not on time. That then deprives my client of her normal full rights of appeal to the immigration tribunal.'

'If that is the case, if she has been deprived by the Home Office of her right to appeal, let me make it crystal clear that we will be fighting this all the way to the Court of Session in Edinburgh by judicial review.’

Miss Farrell also denied allegations Ms Ngazana had wrongly claimed benefits explaining: 'She was advised initially by her accountant to apply for working tax credits and then in actual fact was told by the Inland Revenue that she was fully entitled to this. She did everything absolutely above board.'

Hundreds of friends have gathered to show their support for the teenager in her home town with many dropping off gifts, letters of support and money in a bid to help them stay.

Locals were out in force in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, collecting thousands of names on petitions.

Family friend Lidia Weir said: 'Gamu and her family attend the church every week and the church, as a whole, decided we must do something to help. They have contributed to our church, our community and our society.

‘The family experienced trauma while in, and leaving, Zimbabwe and we do not wish them to experience the same attitudes in the UK. We believe now is the time for our nation to raise its voice and keep the family here.'


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source :dailymail