X Factor host Caroline Flack 'cried after first live Sunday night show'

Updated

X Factor host Caroline Flack says she cried after the first live Sunday night show - and her life is "like a sad film".

Flack, who has just finished her first series as host alongside Olly Murs, has faced criticism from keyboard warriors over her presenting skills as well as her weight and appearance.

She told The Mirror: "You can think social media is real life but you have to remember it's not. Someone wouldn't come up to you in the street and say: 'You're a big, fat, ugly s***', yet they find it really easy to say online.

"I can have the worst day ever but I'll post the happiest picture of myself. My life is like a sad film.

"I cried after the first live Sunday night. The reaction was quite overwhelming because I didn't think people would be talking about how I look, how I stand, how I walk, or how I laugh."

Flack has responded to trolls on Twitter with a series of messages, tweeting: "Never said I'm the prettiest or thinnest or anything special. But thank God I'm not horrible."

However, the 36-year-old insisted the positives outweighed the negatives.

She said: "I've been in this industry for 12 years, and you get used to the criticism. I know how the game works.

"Not everyone is going to like you all the time, not everyone is going to think you're beautiful, but there is a difference between opinion and abuse. Opinion is fine but I need to stop giving the negative people air time because they love it.

"I put myself out there and can't moan. I have a really good job, and a really good life. The good bits outweigh the bad by a mile. I don't ever want to feel ungrateful. If I couldn't handle any more, I would go home and get out of the media industry."

With the X Factor facing disappointing viewing figures, and a mixed reaction to Flack and Murs as replacements for former host Dermot O'Leary, speculation has been rife that the presenting duo could be axed.

Murs came under fire for prematurely announcing that Monica Michael had been eliminated, while Flack faced a backlash for a technical issue on the show - which she tweeted was "not our fault".

But Flack insisted no decisions had been made by show boss Simon Cowell.

She said: "The X Factor was one of my best experiences. I loved every minute. Mistakes happen all the time. It's part of telly. So when things go wrong, people are always going to go: 'It's your fault!'

"Simon gave me a big cuddle afterwards and said: 'It's not your fault'.

"I haven't decided about doing it again yet, but everyone knows you don't talk about X Factor until later in the year."

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