Outrage as Simon Cowell dumps X Factor hopeful because she's pregnant

Katie Boothand, 24, from Skegness, was five and a half months into her pregnancy when she auditioned in Sheffield, leaving open the possibility that she could have her baby during a live show.

She lives with her fiance, who arrived to the audition for support, in a cramped one bedroom flat, and says winning The X Factor would secure a future for her family.

Before her audition, set to be shown on an upcoming episode, Cowell told Boothand: "I'm working out the dates here, not great dates are they?"

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The aspiring singer joked that she could have the first child born on the hit show and launched into a rendition of Faith Hill's There You'll Be.

Cowell said after the performance: "You're five and a half months pregnant so you'd be having a baby right in the middle of the live shows."

He noted Boothand suffers from a bad lisp but that she added that she has a good singing voice and is "very likeable".

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Fellow judge Sharon Osbourne said Boothand "sang very, very well indeed" but questioned if she could cope with the pressure of being pregnant during the show.

With Dannii Minogue the only one to say "no", the 24-year-old was stunned to learn she has got through to the next stage, but after she leaving the room, the panel had doubts.

Cowell said: "A part of me thinks we shouldn't have just done that because she's five and a half months pregnant. That should have been a 'no'. It doesn't feel right, I'm almost inclined to change my mind now."

Louis Walsh agreed, and Minogue says: "I've got nothing against pregnant women but you can't be singing on live TV and giving birth at the same time."

Cowell eventually broke the news to Boothand, saying: "I think we've made a mistake.

"I absolutely think this is the wrong decision and I know it's horrible to be given a 'yes' but I want to be honest with you, I don't feel right about this.

"I'm thinking about you and the kid and everything and I think this is absolutely the wrong thing to do."

The devastated hopeful said: "He knew I was carrying a baby. He knew I was five and a half months pregnant. He knew the complications.

"At the end of the day, that's my decision and if I want to enter this competition and go all the way to the end, I will do that."

Cowell later defended his U-turn, saying: "This is a girl who would have given birth to her baby in the middle of the X Factor finals.

"The stress she would have been under would have been unspeakable. You cannot put a competition like this or your ambition over the fact you're about to have a baby. It is crazy."

The X Factor is broadcast on Saturday night at 6.20pm on ITV1.