Nicole Scherzinger reportedly stormed off The X Factor after being booed by the audience

We’ve been saying for ages that The X Factor is the closest thing on telly to a pantomime.

And Nicole Scherzinger apparently found herself playing the role of panto villain during filming this week.

The American judge, 39, was reportedly booed and jeered over decisions she made during the Six Chair Challenge segment of the programme.

And as tensions mounted, a “very upset” Nicole was said to have stormed off the set, where she had to be consoled by the show’s producers.

Nicole Scherzinger adds a touch of glamour to the ITV talent show (Credit: FameFlynet)

The Six Chair Challenge first appeared in the 2015 series of the show, and immediately caused controversy for the cruel nature in which it eliminates contestants.

Hopefuls are made to sing in front of a live audience, and if they cut the mustard, the judge of their particular category might give them one of six coveted seats – a provisional passport to the judges’ houses stage.

But any one of the singers occupying those seats can then be booted out if their judge deems a subsequent singer to be better.

And to make things even more nail-biting, this year the show’s producers have attempted to boost flagging ratings by separating the judge who’s picking their final acts from the rest of the judges, adding to the pressure.

Earlier this week, The Sun reported that Sharon Osbourne was “left in tears” as she experienced the new format for the first time.

According to the newspaper, the veteran judge said: “I feel like I’ve done something wrong. Do I smell or something?”

And now – if the latest reports are true – it sounds like poor old Nicole has succumbed to the added strain, too.

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Said The Sun’s source: “Before filming had commenced, the audience were encouraged by the show’s production staff to be vocal about what they thought of her choices.

“They took this on board and were very loud but, unfortunately for Nicole, at times it did mean a deafening shower of boos and jeers.

“Nicole was very upset and had to be reassured by the show’s producers that she was making the decisions she felt were best.”

The judging panel will be the same as on last year’s series (Credit: ITV)

The next series of The X Factor – the 14th – is due to start next month, with rumours circulating that it’ll hit our screens two weeks earlier than usual.

While the judges will remain the same as last year, and Dermot O’Leary will once again front the show, there have been whispers that the format will get a major upheaval this year.

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As well as cutting the live programmes down from ten weeks to six, with contestants being voted off the show on both Saturdays and Sundays, singers will be encouraged to perform their own compositions.

Auditions will be held at Thorpe Park, in the hope that the attraction will provide some amusing footage and get the ratings up.

And it’s said that Simon Cowell wants to clamp down on novelty acts like last year’s rap sensation Honey G (we thought she was rather good).

A source told The Sun: “They don’t want the show to be a laughing stock again.”