X Factor 2012: Gary Barlow accuses Tulisa of having 'fag ash breath'

PUBLISHED: 15:44 EST, 27 October 2012 | UPDATED: 16:04 EST, 27 October 2012

Things turned personal on The X Factor on Saturday night, when the normally charming Gary Barlow accused his fellow judge Tulisa of having 'fag ash breath'.

It came to a head after Tulisa criticised Gary for the song he had chosen for his act Christopher Maloney, saying to him: 'Gary, how many of these eighties classics are you going to let him keep destroying?'

Gary, who had clearly been contemplating his response while Tulisa spoke, then said: ''I don't know what's offended me more - what you said or the fag ash breath!'

Open-mouthed: Tulisa looked stunned as Gary Barlow accused her of having 'fag ash breath' on The X Factor on Saturday night

The charmer has left the building! The attack was most out-of-character for the usually gentlemanly Gary

And Tulisa was as shocked as everybody else by Gary's out-of-character comment, sitting there open-mouthed as she took in what he had said.

But as Dermot O'Leary spoke to Christopher following the performance, Tulisa interrupted saying: 'Just a note for Gary - lay off the red wine because I can really smell that as well.'

The row occurred after Christopher took to the stage performing Cutting Crew's Died In Your Arms - a heartfelt performance but once which lacked the Halloween theatrics of some of the others.

Nicole said afterwards: 'That was fun, I felt like I was watching an Eighties Halloween pop opera but I want to just to give you a hug. Good job on the vocals, I loved how you ended on the falsetto.'

Louis said: 'You haven't been in the bottom two yet but we are looking for a future recording star but I think you are more of a cabaret star.'