The X Factor judges voted three to one to save 5 After Midnight in the sing-off with Honey G, bringing an end to the rapper's controversial time on the show
Honey G has finally been eliminated from The X Factor.
The controversial rapper – who was considered by many to be the novelty act in this year’s competition – was given her marching orders after a sing-off with 5 After Midnight.
Judges Louis Walsh, Nicole Scherzinger and Simon Cowell all chose to save the boy band, despite the pleas of Honey’s mentor, Sharon Osbourne, to keep her in the ITV competition as she had “the edge on everyone”.
Honey, whose real name is Anna Georgette Gilford, said it had been a “completely life-changing experience”, thanking the judges and The X Factor team.
The rapper found herself in the bottom two after a dramatic night in which the stage was invaded during her performance.
Honey had just finished rapping MC Hammer’s U Can’t Touch This, part of the Louis Loves theme, when a man rushed the stage and tried to touch her. During judge Louis’s comments on her efforts, the man ran up behind her, grabbed her shoulders and tried to take her microphone.
A prankster group called Trollstation later took credit for the stunt.
She pulled out all the stops in tonight’s sing-off, giving a rousing rendition of her version of Tupac Shakur’s California Love that features her trademark “When I say Honey, you say G” chant.
But the panel – who last week elected to save Honey from elimination – decided she was no match for 5 After Midnight, who gave a stirring performance of Labrinth’s Beneath Your Beautiful.
Their mentor Louis saved them, while Sharon chose to keep Honey in the competition.
As the crowd booed, Mrs O pleaded with Simon and Nicole to give her act another chance.
“Listen, against all odds, Honey has been here week after week… She’s here and she’s a fighter,” she urged.
However, former Pussycat Doll Nicole and show boss Simon both chose to send Honey packing.
Simon told her: “You’ve got guts. You really have.
“You have taken so much and you’ve just soldiered on. And on and on and on.”
Honey said she had loved the experience, adding: “Everybody who said that I could not make it here, I’m standing here right now – X Factor.”
At the end of the show, host Dermot O’Leary turned the jukebox wheel to determine the theme for next week, and it landed on Christmas.
Honey’s elimination comes on the same night as former shadow chancellor Ed Balls was given his marching orders from Strictly Come Dancing, where he was also viewed as the novelty act of this year’s crop of contestants.
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