Anthony Russell has reportedly been kicked off The X Factor Live tour.
The 29-year-old, who finished third in the competition last year, was allegedly told to pack his bags just hours before he was due on stage in Hull on Monday.
According to The Sun, the singer was axed from the tour after a cleaner at a hotel in Sheffield found “suspicious” plastic bags in his room on Sunday.
A source said: “He’s off the tour completely and he won’t be coming back. All the other performers are gutted because Anthony is a lovely bloke. But he’s got these demons he can’t control at the moment.”
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Meanwhile, a tour spokesman said Anthony left due to “personal reasons”.
Fans of The X Factor will know that Anthony originally appeared on the show in 2017, but pulled out of the competition before making it to the live shows.
At the time, an ITV spokesperson said: “Anthony has been going through some personal issues for some time – as he sang about at his audition. Those issues were still affecting him.”
“Everyone has urged him to concentrate on getting himself better right now. Production are all very fond of him and think he has really potential so have told him, if he straightens himself out, they would love him to have another shot at X Factor next year.”
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“That is the perfect incentive for him to get his life back on track. Everyone hopes he will come back next year healthier.”
Anthony returned to the show in 2018, and revealed that new judge Louis Tomlinson had actually reached out to help him after seeing him on the show in 2017.
According to reports, the former One Direction star staged an intervention, and paid to have Anthony go to rehab for four months.
During his audition last year, the Liverpool native said, “I wouldn’t have been in this place I am now – a good place – if it wasn’t for Louis.”
