X-Factor hopeful Winston McKenzie has voiced his disappointment after missing his opportunity to face judge, and TV Mr Nasty, Simon Cowell.

The trilby-wearing former boxer and would-be politician was due to meet Cowell and his fellow judges Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh last Friday in the second round of X-Factor auditions in London, but Winston was shown the door before he could sing for them.

Despite being one of 250 selected from more than 2,000 in London the previous week, he found himself competing with another 3,000 others short-listed in cities all over the country at Wembley Conference Centre.

He said: "The producers said they were overwhelmed with the sheer number of people that took part and they could only allow 150 people to go before Simon Cowell and the other judges."