Alert – A look back at I’m A Celebrity star Tulisa’s X Factor feud with Gary Barlow which propelled her to new heights of fame – as singer returns to the spotlight while battling critters in the jungle

Tulisa Contostavlos once found herself locked in a feud with Take That’s Gary Barlow during their time on the X Factor.  

The N-Dubz singer, 36, has recently been battling critters and a number of other jungle nasties as she takes part in the latest series of I’m A Celebrity….Get Me Out Of Here!

But years before facing her fears in the jungle, she faced the wrath of the Never Forget hitmaker, 53, as he called her out on her ‘fag ash breath’ live on air – which left her mortified.

Between 2011-2012 Tulisa landed herself a huge role as a judge on the X Factor aged just 23, joining the panel alongside Gary, Kelly Rowland and Louis Walsh.

And while she went on to win her very first series with girl group Little Mix, her time on the show wasn’t without its controversies, with one notable moment being her epic clash with Gary in 2012.

Though the feud had marred her very first stint as a judge, it also propelled her to new heights of fame following her time in the hip hop trio, with Tulisa going on to reach a new wave of fans. 

Tulisa Contostavlos once found herself locked in a feud with Take That’s Gary Barlow during their time on the X Factor 

The N-Dubz singer, 36, has recently been battling critters and a number of other jungle nasties as she takes part in the latest series of I’m A Celebrity ….Get Me Out Of Here!

The music stars came to blows on one Saturday night after Tulisa criticised Gary for the song he had chosen for his act Christopher Maloney, saying to him: ‘Gary, how many of these eighties classics are you going to let him keep destroying?’ 

Gary, who had clearly been contemplating his response while Tulisa spoke, then said: ”I don’t know what’s offended me more –  what you said or the fag ash breath!’

And Tulisa was as shocked as everybody else by Gary’s out-of-character comment, sitting there open-mouthed as she took in what he had said.

But as host Dermot O’Leary spoke to Christopher following the performance, Tulisa interrupted saying: ‘Just a note for Gary – lay off the red wine because I can really smell that as well. 

Later on ITV2’s The Xtra Factor Barlow was asked if he had been drinking red wine and he said he had ‘a little sip’ in his dressing room and went on to apologise to his fellow judge. 

He said: ‘Can I apologise to Tulisa – I mean it. You have the freedom to be as personal as you like to me for the rest of the series – insult me.’ 

Tulisa told The Xtra Factor that Barlow had once said he ‘loved’ the smell of cigarettes because it reminded him of the days he used to smoke and Barlow agreed. 

But when asked if she had accepted Gary’s apology, Tulisa replied: ‘No, not yet.’

Between 2011-2012 Tulisa landed herself a huge role as a judge on the X Factor aged just 23, joining the panel alongside Gary, Kelly Rowland and Louis Walsh 

Before facing her fears in the jungle, she faced the wrath of the Never Forget hitmaker, 53, as he called her out on her ‘fag ash breath’ live on air – which left her mortified

The music stars came to blows on one Saturday night after Tulisa criticised Gary for the song he had chosen for his act Christopher Maloney, saying to him: ‘Gary, how many of these eighties classics are you going to let him keep destroying?’

However, it was later reported that Gary ‘sat for ages’ in her dressing room as he apologized, with Tulisa going on to forgive him.

A source told The Metro at the time: ‘Gary came to Tulisa’s dressing room after the show and sat for ages apologising to her. He knows he was out of line and hugely regretted saying that to her.’

While another insider added: ‘Tulisa was really angry but eventually accepted his apology.

‘Gary feels really, really bad about what he said. He was speaking without thinking… in the spur of moment and he didn’t mean it.’

Following this, Tulisa made sure she got the last laugh by poking fun at herself by sporting a nicotine patch as she took to the stage for the results show.

Despite her playful stunt, Tulisa and Gary reportedly never fully mended their relationship in the wake of the feud, with the beauty said to have ‘never forgiven him’ over his comment. 

Indeed, a year later, Gary took one final swipe at ‘fag ash breath’ Tulisa as he suggested he was ‘glad’ she was axed from X Factor.

Former judge Sharon Osbourne was redrafted in 2013 following the departure of Tulisa after two years on the hit ITV show – during which she mentored Little Mix to the winners crown in 2011. 

And speaking to the Sun on Sunday after the news, Gary claimed at the time that the judging panel had been galvanised by the return of firebrand Sharon after a six-year hiatus.

When asked if he’s happier with the new line-up, he replied: ‘Yep, definitely, 100 per cent. Sharon’s breath is much better!

Tulisa was as shocked as everybody else by Gary’s comment. But as host Dermot O’Leary spoke to Christopher following the performance, Tulisa interrupted saying: ‘ Just a note for Gary – lay off the red wine because I can really smell that as well’ [pictured in 2012]

Despite her playful stunt, Tulisa and Gary reportedly never fully mended their relationship in the wake of the feud, with the beauty said to have ‘never forgiven him’ over his comment

Indeed, a year later, Gary took one final swipe at ‘fag ash breath’ Tulisa as he suggested he was ‘glad’ she was axed from X Factor and replaced with returning judge Sharon Osbourne [pictured]

‘When someone’s not very comfortable or happy it affects everybody. I was almost glad for it to end last year so when I heard Sharon was coming back I was relieved.’

But while the fall out marred her very first series, it also propelled her to new heights of fame which she never expected.

She told The Guardian last year of her experience: ‘I wasn’t prepared for that level of celebrity, and it was a massive shock.’

Over ten years later Tulisa has found herself back in the spotlight, as she faces her fears in the I’m A Celebrity jungle.

The star recently admitted that she is terrified to be back on TV after ten year hiatus after being caught up in a drug sting by the infamous Fake Sheikh which left her considering taking her own life.

Speaking ahead of making her television comeback by earlier this month, she said: ‘There’s nothing worse in that jungle than what happened in 2013.’ 

Mazher Mahmood, also known as the Fake Sheik, a former journalist for the Sun on Sunday was jailed for 15 months for perverting the course of justice after he tricked Tulisa into buying cocaine for him while he posed as a film producer.

Since she stood on the steps of Southwark Crown Court in 2014 vindicated and condemned the ‘horrific entrapment’ from Mahmood, Tulisa has remained largely out of the spotlight, save an N-Dubz tour in 2022.

While the fall out marred her very first series, it also propelled her to new heights of fame which she never expected. She told The Guardian last year of her experience: ‘I wasn’t prepared for that level of celebrity, and it was a massive shock’ [pictured in 2012]

The star recently admitted that she is terrified to be back on TV after ten year hiatus after being caught up in a drug sting by the infamous Fake Sheikh which left her considering taking her own life 

After going head-to-head with Gary and overcoming her drug sting ordeal, Tulisa is throwing herself into jungle life, having faced her fears with the latest Bushtucker Trial, ‘Shock Around The Clock’ 

Speaking about her entry into the I’m a Celebrity jungle on Sunday, she said: ‘Every time I think, you know, this is going to be hard, I think I’ve done it, I can do it.

‘And then I just got to the point, well, going on television again is the most uncomfortable situation I could possibly put myself in.

‘And I feel like I’ve been on this kind of healing cycle for the past 11 years, really, since all the crap, since X Factor, since the trial.

‘And this, for me, would complete the cycle, because it’s the last thing on the list is this overwhelming fear that I have or have had. I’m not feeling it today, but overall, of this fear of being on especially TV.’

However, after going head-to-head with Gary and overcoming her drug sting ordeal, Tulisa is throwing herself into jungle life, having faced her fears with the latest Bushtucker Trial, ‘Shock Around The Clock.’

She got more than she bargained for however as as she only got five out of 12 stars, after being strapped inside the second hand of a giant clock, while being rotated and being showered with a whole manner of jungle critters.