Lucy Spraggan quits X Factor due to illness

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X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan has pulled out of this year’s show after failing to recover from an illness that stopped her from performing last weekend (27 October).

In a statement, the 20-year-old from Sheffield said: “I am gutted not to be able to continue on this journey but I’m not well enough to perform.

“To accept another free pass having missed last weekend would not be fair on the others in the competition.”

Spraggan, who was mentored by Tulisa, thanked the other contestants and her supporters.

“There is no way that this setback will prevent me from fulfiling my ambition,” she said.

“You’ll be hearing from me again very soon.”

The news comes following a week of partying that saw Spraggan attend the Skyfall premiere and fellow gay X Factor contestant Rylan Clark’s birthday party.

Spraggan, who is openly gay, had impressed the judges with her own original songs.

She already had chart success with her track, Last Night, reaching number 5 in the Itunes chart, earlier this year.

In an interview with PinkNews.co.uk in September, Spraggan said this year’s changes to the show of allowing contestants to enter who have also written their own music was the main driving force behind her decision to apply.

However, Spraggan was forced to take down all of her music in August by X Factor bosses, as her track looked set to oust the show’s 2011 winners Little Mix and their single Wings from the number one slot.