Matt Richardson has accused his former bosses at Xtra Factor of ‘lying to him’ as he revealed the brutal way he found out he was axed.
The comedian, 34, presented the spin-off show over 12 years ago alongside Caroline Flack before he was let go.
In a new TikTok video, Matt told his followers that he found out he was being sacked after reading it in the news.
He explained how his bosses at Fremantle originally ‘lied’ and denied that he was being fired, only to find out days later he was axed.
Speaking about his departure, Matt said: ‘I found out in the newspaper that Xtra Factor were letting me go – true story!’
‘For those who don’t know I did the Xtra Factor back in 2013, me and Caroline Flack and we did a series together. It had gone ok-ish. I was quite inexperienced; they didn’t quite know what to do with me.
Matt Richardson, 34, has accused his former bosses at Xtra Factor of ‘lying to him’ as he revealed the brutal way he found out he was axed
The comedian, 34, presented the spin-off show over 12 years ago alongside Caroline Flack before he was let go (pictured together in 2013)
‘I changed agents, and then we’re in March, April time. We were talking about the next year and I’d seen the exec and he was like, “It’s all good, it’s going to happen again, really excited to go again”.
‘The channel were like, “Yeah we think it went well, we’ll go again”. All of a sudden, some news stories start to appear in the papers and they’re like, “Matt and Caroline are being fired from the Xtra Factor”.
‘Then my agent is then ringing Xtra Factor, production company Freemantle and the channel going, “What’s going on?”
‘They’re going, “Rubbish, don’t listen to them, how dare they write that stuff”. That went back and forth. More stories and then we rang up one day and they were like, “Actually, we’re going to get rid of you. Bye”.
‘Okay then, why lie? Why say you weren’t going to get rid of me. Just say that you are, rip off the bandaid.’
Daily Mail has contacted Fremantle for comment.
The show’s hosts previously included Holly Willoughby, Caroline and Konnie Huq and Fearne Cotton.
The show was last presented by Rylan Clark and Matt Edmondson in 2016, before it was axed entirely.
In a new TikTok video, Matt told his followers that he found out he was being sacked after reading it in the news
Matt was also set to host the Xtra Factor in 2011 before he was replaced at the very last minute by Olly Murs
Rylan and Matt Edmondson took over from Rochelle Humes and Melvin Odoom in 2015. Sarah Jane Crawford presented the show in 2014.
Olly Murs and Caroline Flack presented in 2011 and 2012 while Caroline and Matt Richardson joined up 2013.
Matt was also set to host the Xtra Factor in 2011 before he was replaced at the very last minute by Olly Murs.
Until series three, The Xtra Factor was hosted by Ben Shephard.
Fearne Cotton took over as presenter, for series four only, before leaving the show to concentrate on her career in America.
Fearne was replaced by presenter and close friend Holly Willoughby. Willoughby first presented The Xtra Factor on 9 August 2008, a week before series five was broadcast.
Konnie Huq replaced Willoughby as the new Xtra Factor presenter for series seven.
