Louis Tomlinson reduced to tears with pride as Anthony Russell returns to X Factor auditions
Louis reached out to Anthony to get him through his drug struggles (Picture: Getty, Rex) Louis Toml..
Louis Tomlinson was reduced to tears by a familiar face at the X Factor auditions – and it wasnt because of Simon Cowell.
The One Direction star was reduced to tears with pride at the return of Anthony Russell, who was removed from the show last year due to taking drugs to help him through his audition phase.
Anthony was replaced by Sam Black when he was booted from the series to confront his own personal demons.
And it appears he found an unlikely ally in Louis, who the MailOnline reports reached out to him in order to help following his time on the show last year.
From when he first spoke to Anthony, he was determined to get Anthony fit and well enough to enter the show in 2018, their source told them. Louis has helped Anthony get the help he needed.
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At the time of them becoming friends, it wasnt in the pipeline that Louis would become a judge, or that Anthony would try his luck again.
As a result, when he appeared in the audition room, a proud Louis was moved to tears by the performance but refused to vote as he couldnt be impartial.
[Louis] is delighted to be a judge now – but was determined to be 100 per cent transparent with his fellow judges, the audience and the general public at large, about the support he has given to Anthony to help get him back on his feet, the source added.More: The X Factor
His addictive past is reported to have struck a nerve with Robbie Williams, who had gone down a similar path in his hey day.
Though well have to wait until later this year to find out if hes got through.
X Factor returns later this year on ITV1.
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