Misha B accused X Factor of giving her an 'angry black girl narrative'

When it comes to talent-based reality television, cruelty has always done well. When Popstars sought a new band – remember Hearsay? – ‘Nasty Nigel’ became loved and loathed.

His crown was stolen by Simon Cowell, whose withering putdowns became a Saturday night draw. But there is a difference between acerbically informing 45-year-old Karen from Surrey that she has no sense of pitch and accusing talented, young wannabes of bullying as part of a cynical grab for ratings.

In 2020, former X Factor contestant Misha B shed some light on what sounds like a hurtful and damaging spell on the show.

Back in 2011, when Misha was 19, she was a frontrunner on the show. She had originality, verve, style and talent in spades. But that was all for nothing. Live on air, judges Tulisa Contostavlos and Louis Walsh alleged that she had behaved badly behind the scenes. There were accusations of bullying, overconfidence and of being ‘mean’. Her tenure on the programme tainted, she failed to reach the final.

‘My understanding is you’ve created this whole narrative of me being overconfident because I’m black’, she explains. ‘And in your eyes, black girls should not be confident. Black girls are just “one of” – “You look like a young Tina Turner, you’re like a young Chaka Khan”. Why can I not just look like me?’

Misha revealed that she was diagnosed with PTSD, and says that she has been profoundly changed by the experience, by the aggressions and cruelty that she faced. She says she has been healing, and is still in therapy.

Louis and Tulisa have said to make a statement, but producers are known to have contributed to the depiction of Misha as a 'bully'. Gary Barlow has recalled an incident in his 2018 autobiography. ‘About half an hour before the show goes live, the producers would come in and they’d go, ‘Oh my God. That Misha. She’s a bully. Can’t believe it. She is such a bully. In fact, you know what? You should say it. You should say it on air. She’s bullied everyone all week.’”

Since her video, Misha has received support from thousands, including KISS presenter Tinea Taylor, who wrote on Twitter, 'Love to Misha B for speaking up tonight. Was so mad for her during that live. Black women are never allowed to be confident and comfortable in their own skin.' (sic)

Check out the statements from KISS presenters on #blacklivesmatter below:

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