SINGING soldier Jonjo Kerr regrets never having the chance to be judged by the public after being booted off the X Factor by his own mentor.

The 28-year-old was sent home by Louis Walsh after being criticised on the Saturday night ITV show by head judge Gary Barlow, who said he 'stood out like a sore thumb' among the other acts.

Jonjo, who has enjoyed hundreds of messages of support from fans in Lancashire, said: “I wanted to go out on the public vote. It's a shame. I would like to think I'd have stayed."

On Sunday’s show, infantry soldier Jonjo told host Dermot O'Leary: "I could have done better. It's broke my heart."

Jonjo, a former Albany High School student, had been given a sabbatical from his career in the Corunna Company 3rd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment to take part in the show.

Last week he said he was “confident and ready” for the live shows, but came under fire from judges for his performance of The Kinks classic You Really Got Me.

He could now be in line to serve in Afghanistan as his battalion is due to be sent there next year.

In previous series, once the live shows began the public voted for acts, but last night it was the judges' decision alone.

An X Factor backlash has begun among fans after four finalists were booted off.

Essex duo 2 Shoes, James Michael and Amelia Lily were the others eliminated of the competition.

Fans went online to complain, calling the four-act cull “brutal” and “cruel”.

The rejection was too much for 16-year-old Amelia Lily, who ran off stage once the cameras stopped, after being dropped by former Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland.