Telford teen edited out as X Factor journey ends
A Telford teenager's X Factor journey has ended after he was not chosen as part of the "six chair challenge" - and edited out of the show.
Budding rock singer Owen "Ozzy" Mathews was due to appear on the television talent show last night after he had been filmed performing for Louis Tomlinson in the summer.
But the 17-year-old wasn't picked by Louis, of One Direction fame, to get through, and the ITV show cut him out altogether.
Ozzy said it was a disappointment that his recorded performance wasn't shown, but that he has gained a following and will be arranging gigs from here.
"There were 17 lads and we had to be narrowed down to six people," he added.
"I performed Crazy Little Thing Called Love and The Wanderer for Louis Tomlinson and got really good feedback.
"Simon Cowell said it was brilliant and said he would give me a seat but Louis didn't.
Deliberate edit
"I had a personal conversation with him backstage and he said he didn't understand the rock genre so he wouldn't be able to help me.
"When he was revealed to be my mentor I knew that was it.
"After I was called by the production team and they said they were going to crop it to make me look worse."
However the former student of Burton Borough School in Newport, who lives in Horton, said that it was "all good fun" and that he will carry on performing.
He said: "It's the end of the road but there seem to be comments online calling for me to come back as a wild card, but I'm just staying out of that.
"It was stressful last night, lots of people were messaging and saying you weren't on.
"I am going to keep performing all over, this was just good fun. I was always putting in the work anyway.
"I just wanted to make an impact and say rock and roll is still alive even if the judges didn't think I was right.
"I've just started at Telford College studying music and I've got a few gigs lined up soon."
Ozzy received a "yes" from the celebrity panel of judges Simon Cowell, Robbie Williams and wife Ayda Field and Louis Tomlinson of One Direction fame when he first appeared on the show last month, along with a standing ovation.
An X Factor spokeswoman said: "We can't show every audition and performance due to time constraints."
