X Factor's Kitty Brucknell reveals teen bullying hell

Harsh: Brucknell was called 'ginger minger' growing up
11 April 2012
The Weekender

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'X Factor' hopeful Kitty Brucknell claims she was forced to dye her hair blonde after being bullied for her ginger locks.

The 26-year-old wannabe - who sailed through to the Boot Camp stage of the ITV1 show after being given four yes votes by judges Gary Barlow, Louis Walsh, Tulisa Contostavlos and Kelly Rowland - claims she was picked on throughout her teens for her red hair and it ruined any confidence she had.

She said: "People were awful just because I had ginger hair. They would laugh at me and call me ginger minger. It was a nightmare. I was bullied all the time and it made my self-esteem hit rock bottom. I tried to stand up to the bullies but there didn't seem to be anything I could do.

"In the end I decided the only way to do it was to dye it blonde as I could, which didn't exactly do wonders for my hair."

However, Kitty is now pleased with changing her locks because it enabled her to get work as a Britney Spears tribute act.

She added to The Sun: "It turned out all right in the end because if I hadn't dyed my hair I probably wouldn't have become such a successful Britney tribute."

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