X Factor's Joseph Whelan 'an emotional wreck' at Boot Camp

X Factor wannabe Joseph Whelan was an "emotional wreck" at Boot Camp.

The 27-year-old singer, who lost his place on the ITV talent show at the Boot Camp stage last year when Nicole Scherzinger opted not to put him through, was a "blubbering mess" while battling to progress to the Judges Houses stage of the competition this year and admits he is "embarrassed" by his teary antics.

He said: "I was a bit of an emotional wreck at Boot Camp which is quite embarrassing.

"Because of not going through last year and knowing that is when I went home it all gets a bit too much for me when it's at Boot Camp. I'm a blubbering mess."

Joseph admits this year's Boot Camp is tougher for hopefuls than last year due to the introduction of the show's new twist.

The new element sees the panellists select their six contestants for the Judges' Houses stage of the competition in front of a studio audience, but after filling their six seats they still have the chance to remove one of their hopefuls and replace them with another one of their wannabes.

He added: "We didn't know about the chairs twist until we got to Boot Camp. That made me feel a bit worse.

"The thought that you can get a seat and then someone can take it away from you is horrible."

Joseph - whose five-year-old son Kian joined him for his first audition again this year, during which he impressed judges Nicole, Sharon Osbourne, Gary Barlow and Louis Walsh - admits he was "disappointed" to see former panellist Tulisa leave the programme because she was a keen supporter of his last year.

He explained: "When Tulisa wasn't on I was kind of disappointed. I'm glad Sharon is here but I think maybe it would've been more in my favour if she'd replaced someone else.

"Nicole's never really taken a shine to me so maybe if Sharon had been in my place it might have been more in my favour, but I don't know. That's the way the show goes."