'We are very close... I'd love to see him': X Factor's Ella Henderson reveals her heart lies with Union J's Josh Cuthbert NOT 'best friend' George Shelley

PUBLISHED: 07:08, 27 November 2012 | UPDATED: 07:09, 27 November 2012

She seemed to confirm her romance with Union J's George Shelley when they were spotted hand-in-hand as they strolled down the street earlier this month.

But The X Factor's Ella Henderson hinted that it's George's bandmate, Josh Cuthbert, who her heart really lies with as she opened up in a revealing new interview.

The 16-year-old singing sensation - who was voted off the ITV1 show last week following a shock sing-off with fellow favourite James Arthur - admitted George has always been her 'best friend', but remained coy when it came to her feelings for Josh.

She's got The X Factor: Ella Henderson opened up about her true feelings for Union J's George and Josh as she posed in a slinky backless sequin dress for LOOK magazine

Speaking about Union J, also featuring Jaymi Hensley and JJ Hamblett, Ella told LOOK magazine: 'Let me explain it like this. George is my best friend. Jaymi is like my big brother, JJ is hilarious and, yeah, like...'

However, the aspiring star admitted she and Josh are 'very close' and she is hoping to spend more time with the boyband hunk once the competition draws to a close.

She added: 'At the moment it’s hard to say. He’s still in the competition. As soon as we’re both out of it, it’s going to go boom.

In a quandary: The 16-year-old singer admitted while she and Josh are 'very close', George has always been her 'best friend'

'At the moment [we are just] very close and good friends, but after the competition, I’d love to see him. I do want to spend time with him. Only time will tell.'

Insisting that she didn't suddenly switch her affections between the bandmates, she added: 'I said from day one that George was my best friend but nobody believed me!'

And despite the teen star appearing to have fallen for the charms of Josh, she admitted she has never been the type of girl who is attracted to boyband members.

Ella added to LOOK magazine: 'I’m so strongly focused on what I want to come out of the competition, but you can’t stop how you feel about someone.

Young love? Ella sparked rumours she was dating George Shelley after the pair were spotted holding hands while wandering around central London earlier this month

Bandmates: Ella has been linked to both Josh Cuthbert (L) and George Shelley (R)

'I’m the type of person who would look at boybands and say, “I wouldn’t be interested in that because they’re silly and just bothered about the fans”, but those boys are so amazing.'

Explaining she still texts the Union J boys 'every day' following her exit from the competition, Ella admitted saying goodbye to the foursome after her shock departure was like going through a 'break-up'.

She said: 'It was horrible. They were all bawling their eyes out and so was I. I tried to hold it together but I couldn’t!

To read the interview with Ella Henderson in full see the new issue of LOOK magazine, out now.

'I’ve never experienced a break-up but feeling how it feels to miss Union J, that very slight lost feeling, I can sense how it would feel to break up [with a guy]. But it’s exciting now because I get to watch them and I’m rooting for them.'

Somewhat tellingly, the Grimsby-based beauty left controversial contestant Christopher Maloney off her list of favoured finalists, explaining she would like to see Union J, Jahmene Douglas and James Arthur in the final.

She said: 'There’s a difference between who I think will win and who I want to win.'

As well as explaining she still has a 'close bond' with her mentor, Tulisa Contostavlos, Ella admitted Nicole Scherzinger's parting words were that she was going to end up more successful than the Poison hitmaker.

She added: 'Before I went, [Nicole] was crying but she said to me, “I’m not worried about you baby, you’re going to go on and do better things, you’re going to be bigger than me.” She gave my dad her contact details to stay in touch. She’s a lovely woman.'

To read the interview with Ella Henderson in full see the new issue of LOOK magazine, out now.

Union J: (L-R) George Shelley, Jaymi Hensley, Josh Cuthbert and JJ Hamblett

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Tuesday, 27 November 2012

X Factor's Ella Henderson reveals her heart lies with Union J's Josh Cuthbert

'We are very close... I'd love to see him': X Factor's Ella Henderson reveals her heart lies with Union J's Josh Cuthbert NOT 'best friend' George Shelley