Frankie Cocozza leaves X Factor house
Frankie Cocozza leaves the X Factor house after being kicked off show for ‘boasting about taking cocaine’
Frankie Cocozza has been pictured leaving the X Factor house this evening after being axed from the show following claims he ‘boasted about taking cocaine’.
The cocky wannabe rockstar was ordered to leave the house this morning after he had ‘broken a golden rule’, which it soon emerged was related to drug use.
Frankie was spotted leaving the Hertfordshire mansion as night fell with his suitcase in hand.
Earlier he was filmed by the camera crew as he arrived at the house to pack his belongings.
The 18-year-old released an apologetic statement admitting his life had ‘gone out of control’ and that his behaviour off stage had ‘over-stepped the rules of the competition’.
Despite his questionable vocals and inflated opinion of himself, the teen seemed to be winning over the public.
He escaped the bottom two last weekend, which saw the shock dismissal of boy band The Risk and Johnny Robinson.
But now Frankie’s backstage antics and wild behaviour have seen him get the boot from producers and he has been sent home packing.
This afternoon, a statement was released, with Frankie saying: ‘I’d like to apologise to Gary, my fellow contestants and everyone who has voted for me, but, as of today, I will no longer be in The X Factor.
‘My life during the show has gone out of control and my behaviour off stage has over-stepped the rules of the competition.
Today mentor Gary Barlow, who has not tried to curb the teen’s errant behaviour throughout the competition, said: ‘Frankie has apologised publicly as well as personally to me and the producers for his actions that lead to him leaving the show.
‘I’m hugely disappointed that he’s thrown away an opportunity like this after working so hard to get here. I’m sorry to see him go as we’ve been through a lot together in such a short time.’
And he added, throwing a lifeline to the young singer: ‘I hope Frankie continues to look to me as a friend and supporter and works it all out, picks himself up and somehow tries to turn this into a positive.’
No news has been released yet about who, if anyone, will take his place, however Tulisa’s group The Risk are widely rumoured to be returning.
The spokeperson simply added: ‘We’ll make an announcement about Saturday’s show tomorrow.’
This isn’t the first time Frankie has been linked with drugs.
This weekend his first girlfriend, Yasmin Griffith, revealed to a Sunday paper how Frankie turned to drugs when they split up last year.
The painful break-up sent the singer down a path of self-destruction which saw him start smoking, drinking and experimenting with drugs, she said.
Blonde Yasmin, 18, who lost her virginity to Frankie aged 15, alleged how she once caught him with a bag of former legal high mephedrone, often referred to by its street name meow meow, at a party.
And last month, Frankie admitted he had ended up in a ‘bad way’ after he started taking the drug before it was made illegal in 2010.
He said: ‘I’ve done stupid things. I wasn’t doing anything with my life. I was on the dole and depressed.’
– Bookmakers Paddy Power refunded Cocozza bets, returning in excess of £10,000 to people who optimistically bet on him to win.
Paddy Power said: ‘Frankie punters didn’t get much of a run for their money so we’re only too happy to have a decent excuse to give their money back.’
Earlier today Frankie posted on his Twitter page that he would be shooting the video for the X Factor charity single Wishing On A Star tomorrow, but he has since deleted the post.
