Cheryl, 32, arrived in Manchester to meet a new bunch of hopefuls and was mobbed by excited fans as she posed for pictured outside the venue.

While there’s no doubt the former Girls Aloud star looked in high spirits, her tiny figure prompted a worried response from Twitter users.

One wrote: “Cheryl is looking emaciated lately! She’s ageing because she’s so think it’s not body shaming I’m a fan, I just think she’s unhealthy! #XFactor [sic].”

The judge flashed her tummy in simple black crop top and teamed it with flared black trousers which, from certain angles, looked too big for her small frame.

Last week a fan commented on a picture of the singer: “Bag of bones, u looked so much better in the early girls aloud days with your lovely curves [sic].”

But the remark clearly touched a nerve, prompting a rare rant from Cheryl. She fumed: “I am so sick and tired of it being OK to call somebody too thin. I would never dream of calling somebody too fat and that they should maybe cut down on their food intake? What’s the difference? [sic].

“You have no idea what I’ve been through. Just losing my father in law v recently and everything that comes with that. Not that I am or should justify myself to anyone [sic].”