X Factor: Judges’ Houses reject Joe Cox returns to huge praise

The X Factor auditions are back and with them comes a few familiar faces, namely Joe Cox, who reached Judges’ Houses in the 2011 series.

Last year Gary Barlow opted to take Frankie Cocozza, Marcus Collins, Craig Colton and James Michael to the live finals cut, however the 18-year-old is now being tipped as the ‘one to watch’ by ITV1 show’s judges.

Cox claimed that the rejection was the “worst feeling”, but said that over the year he had come to appreciate Barlow’s decision, arguing that the Take That star had done him the “biggest favour”.

“I felt like a nervous little boy last year,” he said “Now, I’ve hopefully come back as a man.”

Following his rendition of Katy Perry’s ‘The One That Got Away’, Nicole Scherzinger declared that Cox had an “excellent recording voice”.

Louis Walsh commented: “Gary did the right thing, you’re stronger and you’re better. You’ve absolutely convinced me there that we’ve found somebody brilliant.”

Meanwhile, Tulisa Contostavlos claimed that if she’d been mentoring the Boys last year, she’d have taken Cox into the Live Shows.

Gary Barlow added: “Of the whole series, yours was the hardest no by far. I really wanted to see you develop. But you’ve come back as you.”

The X Factor continues next Saturday at 8pm on ITV1 with The Xtra Factor afterwards on ITV2