The X Factor isn’t even on our screens yet and already there is plenty to gossip about. Which is just how we like it.

And it’s not the just the judges – or more to the point the lack of a full-time fourth judge – that’s keeping us tittle-tattling types busy. The not-even-famous-yet contestants are getting us talking.

The judges – Gary Barlow, Louis Walsh, Tulisa Contostavlos and guest judge Rita Ora – had their heartstrings tugged and their ears impressed after a homeless man auditioned. The 26-year-old known as Robbie told the audience at the London audition that he’d been homeless on and off for the past six years and had spent his childhood in care *begins to tear up*.

Thankfully, Robbie had the talent to match his sob story, and proceeded to wow the judges with a cover of Paulo Nutini’s Last Request, with head judge Gary telling him that he hoped his audition would change his life.

Storming the stage

For every audition that’s surprising/sad/heartwarming, we need a nutter. And London came up trumps with a spurned auditionee who stormed the stage after failing to make it through to sing to the judges.

The man had been told to apply for the show this year after a failed audition this year, but he didn’t impress producers enough to make it through to see the judges. Taking his opportunity during a break between acts, the man leapt on stage insiting that he wanted the chance to sing.

He didn’t get his chance. After a telling-off from Tulisa, he man was carted off by security.

Oh, X Factor – how we’ve missed you. We cannot wait for the show to return to the telly.