Nicole Scherzinger received death threats on X Factor

Nicole Scherzinger received death threats while working as a judge on the U.S. version of The X Factor.

The former Pussycat Dolls star was one of the celebrity mentors on the first season of the American edition of the talent show last year. She moved over to the British version this year and was replaced by Britney Spears on the panel for the programme's second run.

Scherzinger has now opened up about the vile threats she received while working on the TV hit after contestant Rylan Clark was bombarded with abuse via Twitter.com.

She tells the Daily Mirror, "It breaks my heart. I was very emotional last year. I had death threats on X Factor U.S.A.

"It really frightened me when I got them, so it upset me to hear Rylan had to go through that. It kind of ruined me and I told them I didn't wanna leave my room.

"I didn't know that people could conjure up such thoughts - so hateful."