Natalia Kills and her husband tore strips off contestant Joe Irvine, leading viewers, charities and advertisers blasting the show
Natalia Kills and husband Willy Moon have been sacked from the X Factor New Zealand after the bullying row.
The husband and wife judging duo caused outrage after they humiliated contestant Joe Irvine on the live show, leading to viewers, sponsors and advertisers slamming the show publicly.
Host Dominic Bowden announced the sackings, saying: "Yes, following last night's show, MediaWorks has made the decision that Willy Moon and Natalia Kills are leaving the show.
"From all of us, we believe it was the right thing to do. The good news is we're bringing in new mentors for the boys and the groups.
"They'll be sitting in those chairs right there next week."
In a statement, MediaWorks chief executive Mark Weldon added: "Last night on X Factor both Kills and Moon made comments that were completely unacceptable.
"While the judges on X Factor are expected to provide critiques of the performances, we will not tolerate such destructive tirades from any of the judges.
"Contestants put their all into this competition and they should expect to receive feedback and criticism that is professional and constructive.
"We no longer have confidence that Kills and Moon are the right people to perform the role of X Factor judges and they will leave the show, effective immediately."
FreelmantleMedia - which owns the X Factor franchise - added in its own statement: "We 100 per cent support TV3 and MediaWorks in their decision to remove them.
"The X Factor does not tolerate the behaviour they displayed last night."
Saturday night's live episode of the show saw the competition descend into loud booing as Kills and her husband laid into Irvine after his performance of Michael Buble's Cry Me a River.
Dressed as James Bond, the live show was apparently too much for him, and even he admitted it wasn't his best performance.
Natalia then got stuck right into the singer and only complimented him on the way he looked - like her husband...
Watch the video above to see the female singer vent.
"I'm embarrassed to be sitting here in your presence having to dignify that with an opinion", she shouts, completely blasting him as the audience boo.
Her vicious comments were then backed up by her other half.
Willy then went on to say Joe looks like he's going to murder everyone and stitch their skin to his face.
Viewers were not impressed with their comments and accused the pair of bullying.
One viewer said on Twitter: "Absolutely mortified by the words of @Nataliakills on NZ X-Factor. Its so self obsessed to believe a suit and tie is a copy right offence."
X Factor broadcaster TV3 said on Twitter it had been inundated with comments and complaints about Moon and Kills’ grotesque rants.
"TV3 does not condone bullying and are currently on-site with Joe who is doing well.”
Natalia Kills was born in Bradford in the UK.
By the age of 18, she’d moved to Hollywood to start a music career and it was there she chanced to meet the internationally-renowned performer and producer will.i.am who instantly recognized Kills’ talent, and signed her to his imprint at Interscope Records.
