Those X-Factor mentors are sneaky buggers aren't they? Not content with dominating our airwaves up until Christmas they look to orchestrate and create various upsetting stories about their proteges being victimised at any given opportunity so that the general public will get behind them.
This could involve a dead cat, grieving widow, particularly bad head ache or even in some cases it just means that the contestant has a pretty harrowing day job. Whatever Gary, Louis and Tulisa can do to get you on their side, they'll take advantage of!
Of course, not every attempt to deceive us works in their favour and it can sometimes even blow back up in their faces! Here are the worst ever attempts to create an X-Factor sob story.
1. Misha B and Kelly Rowland
Despite being in one of the most popular girl groups of all time and having quite a successful solo career too, Kelly Rowland managed to just about get under everyone's skin during her one year stint as a judge. And this all came to a head after her contestant Misha B was accused of bullying various other members of the show. To get the nation behind her once again Misha had an emotional 2 minute video before her performance which also included Kelly in floods of tears as she told her own sad story. It was incredibly cheesy.
2. Melanie McCabe
We get it, The X-Factor is a really big deal to burgeoning singers. But don't tell the world you're putting your life on hold so that you can compete in the show. After being kicked out 3 years previously Melanie returned in 2011 only to not make it past the final eight "Girls" this time round, despite her best efforts to cry herself onto the live show.
3. Johnny Robinson
As Johnny's mentor, Louis Walsh decided to create a rather odd persona for the former drag queen. He was depicted as a loner who tried to make it big as a singer in London but failed. Which would probably be the same scenario for, oh I don't know about a million other people too. Fortunately for him, Jonny will be doing quite well for himself now.
4. Kitty Brucknell
Apparently Kitty was forced to dye her hair after bullies mercilessly labelled her the "Ginger Minger" due to the natural colour of her locks. So in the end she had no choice but to change it to blonde and lo and behold it just happened to match that of her idols Lady Gaga and Britney Spears. She could have always gone bald?
5. Mary Byrne
Poor old Mary, all she wanted to do was sing. But unfortunately she found herself stuck behind a till in Tesco and could only dream about the fame and fortune she'd now missed out on. In this kind of recession she should have been grateful that she even had a job. Now she doesn't need to worry about the price of baked beans and the lack of bananas in the produce section.
But then again it can also work in their favour too. Here are the best sob stories that were created by the mentors and actually managed to glean some sympathy from the masses.
1. Matt Cardle
The old adage, 'nice guys finish last,' is a horrible way to think of the world. So thank christ that bona fide good man Matt Cardle won the X Factor over 18 months ago. He was helped on his way by the tale that his mother looked after her friend Sharon Floyd's four sons after she was killed in a road accident in 1996. Tear inducing stuff that coincidentally helped Cardle to victory.
2. Amelia Lily
It's hard enough being a 17 year-old girl growing up in Middlesborough who just wants to sing pop songs. But when you add the fact that Amelia Lily runs the risk of going blind every time she steps on stage due to diabetes your heart just cries out for the poor gal. Maybe it was indulged a little but it helped her to third place in last year's contest, so fair play to her.
3. Daniel Evans
The genuinely moving and heart breaking tale of Daniel Evans brought even the most stoical man to tears back in 2008. The pool cleaning father of three revealed to the judges that his wife had passed away giving birth to his daughter and then reduced Cheryl and Dannii to tears with his singing too. It was enough to get him to the live show but not to the recording contract but no one will ever forget about his emotional plight.
4. Jesy Nelson
The emergence of Little Mix last year coincide with the rise of the cyber bullying phenomenon and one of the singers, Jesy Nelson, came in for particular abuse from these cowardly keyboard warriors over the curves she possessed in comparison to her other bandmates. It was all a bit much for the poor girl who broke down numerous times backstage. But after being crowned champions last year she is probably feeling more weight in her wallet than her hips now.
5. Rachel Hylton
Yes, drugs are bad and the people who take these various substances only have themselves to blame but everyone loves a triumphant rags to riches tale! So to see Rachel Hylton's success was sensational and her turbulent past only added more credence to her recovery. Pity Alexandra Burke had a better voice that year though but it did show how the X-Factor does have a good heart after all.