Former X Factor contestant Laura White reckons her shock eviction on last week's episode of the X Factor could have been down to her relationship with a TV exec who works for the show. The singer, a favourite to win the contest, feels she may have been victimised over her boyfriend Mathew Firsht, who organises audiences for the programme.

Happy couple: Mathew Firsht and Laura White

The couple have been dating for several months but had tried to keep their relationship quiet. Laura, 21, was at the Louis de Berniàres party at the Groucho Club in Soho last night and told us: "I'm so pleased that my eviction made it into the House of Commons because it made me feel as though people were supporting me.

"I started to think that it wasn't about my singing any more, just everything else apart from my music, that's just how it felt to me." When asked if she felt that she could have been the subject of victimisation over her relationship with Mathew, 38, she said: "Well, yes it could have been that. I don't regret not going public with my relationship because it was really early days at the time. It still is now."

Judge Louis Walsh cast the deciding vote to boot off Laura from the show, but she bears no grudges. She added: "I have nothing against Louis at all. Everybody has been great."