X Factor legend makes surprise cameo on flagship BBC show leaving fans baffled

X Factor star Katie Waissel had fans doing a double take after popping up on BBC Question Time to ask about Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The singer, 38, was a contestant on the seventh season of ITV’s hit reality competition The X Factor where she competed against acts such as One Direction, Cher Lloyd,Rebecca Ferguson and Wagner.

She went on to star in Celebrity Big Brother in 2016 and even made a bizarre guest cameo in the US reality series Vanderpump Rules as a tattoo parlour worker.

The media personality dropped her self-titled debut album in 2012 and joined a rock band called Red Velvet Lovers which released music throughout 2013.

Soon after she ditched the industry due to her negative experiences and has since founded the OWHL Foundation to ‘revolutionise safety in the creative industry’.

Now she’s rocked up on Question Time a day after the General Election which saw Keir Stamer become the UK’s new prime minister.

After presenter Fiona Bruce called on her in the audience she asked Labour MP and Environment Secretary Steve Reed about whether ‘anyone in the Labour party may be privy to information [about Vladimir Putin] that the United Kingdom may not be’.

After Steve discussed the impact of sanctions on Russia on the UK’s fossil fuels supply and advocated for clean energy alternatives, the conversation moved on to the next question.

But fans quickly took to X to discuss Katie’s out-of-nowhere cameo.

‘Well, I didn’t have Katie Waissel on my election 2024 bingo card,’ @melviss wrote.

‘Was that X Factor icon Katie Waissel on Question Time?!’ @russellalford added.

The day before, she confirmed she would be in the audience of the latest Question Time episode.

‘I honestly can’t wait, there are many questions we all collectively have! Proud to be representing,’ she posted on X.

Earlier today she followed up with further details about her Question Time appearance on social media and even addressed those fans who had noticed her.

She first explained that she had planned to ask the Labour MP if they had plans ‘to address the systemic and ongoing issues of abuse and corruption in the creative industries’.

And get the party’s thoughts on ‘reopening the Leveson Inquiry Part 2 *which investigates the relationship between journalists and the police.’

According to Katie, ‘time constraints’ meant she was only able to ask her energy-based question to Steve. Although she called the MP’s answer ‘avoidant’ and left her ‘scratching her head’.

She called herself ‘a passionate advocate for people’s fundamental human rights’.

At the end of her message, she joked: ‘I really do appreciate everyone’s tweets and reactions coming through on X this morning– it’s funny,

‘I think people were just as surprised to see me there, as i was when asked to be part of the audience!’

The reality star has made headlines over the past few years after speaking up about the abuse she experienced while navigating the music industry.

In March she defended Jedward after former X Factor judge Louis Walsh called them ‘vile’ while on Celebrity Big Brother.

‘Having met you both personally, I can unequivocally state that you are by no means “vile”. If anything you are both absolutely the contrary to this! I stand firmly behind you in your corner, always,’ she posted on social media.

She went on to say that Louis’ comments exposed ‘the tip of the iceberg of abuse, manipulation and coercion that went on behind the scenes on the X Factor, of which myself and many others have spoken publicly about.’

The music artist, who is retraining as a lawyer, previously alleged a member of the X Factor team sexually assaulted her although the unnamed man has denied the claims.

She also claimed to receive treatment for PTSD and was driven to the point of ‘contemplating suicide’ while on the show. Last year she announced plans to sue Simon Cowell’s company Syco Entertainment.

Her company, OWHL, was set up in April 2021 and seeks to ‘establish a transparent network where members verify and vouch for each other’.

The mother-of-one said earlier this year: ‘Music and creative industries are magical and if we can protect them for tomorrow that makes my heart happy. It’s turning poison to medicine.’

Metro.co.uk has reached out to Katie Waissel’s representatives for comment.