In a strange turn of events, Natalia Kills and Willy Moon, husband and wife judges on the X Factor New Zealand, were FIRED by TV3, the network that airs the show, after the couple bullied a contestant on live TV over the weekend.
Mediaworks, the owners of TV3, confirmed it had fired the pair just hours before the two were due to appear on the next night’s live elimination show.
An online petition calling for Kills to be fired drew over 70,000 supporters in less than 24 hours. The media company had also reportedly come under pressure from sponsors and fellow judges Stan Walker and Melanie Blatt to take action.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Mediaworks chief executive Mark Weldon said: “Last night on X Factor both Kills and Moon made comments that were completely unacceptable.
“While the judges on X Factor are expected to provide critiques of the performances, we will not tolerate such destructive tirades from any of the judges,” he said.
“Contestants put their all into this competition and they should expect to receive feedback and criticism that is professional and constructive. We no longer have confidence that Kills and Moon are the right people to perform the role of X Factor judges and they will leave the show, effective immediately.”
The bizarre outburst from Kills was prompted by the belief the contestant was copying her husband’s look and musical style. She called the performance “cheesy” and “disgusting.” Kills went on, “I personally found it absolutely artistically atrocious. I am embarrassed to be sitting here in your presence having to even dignify you with an answer of my opinion.”
Her husband compared the singer to Norman Bates from the Alfred Hitchcock classic, Psycho, “It’s like Norman Bates dressing up in his mother’s clothing. It’s just a little bit creepy. It feels like you’re going to stitch someone’s skin to your face, and then kill everyone in the audience.”
Well. Alrighty then.
The two brand new judges will take Kills and Moon’s place next week.
Watch the strange goings on below. The contestant, Joe Irvine, handles himself really well. The audience turns instantly against the couple, and it’s very clear the rest of the panel isn’t down at all with the couple’s remarks.
