[Arneldo]

X FACTOR judge Sharon Osbourne quit after a huge behind-the-scenes row with Dannii Minogue, The Sun can reveal.

Feisty Sharon went to Dannii’s dressing room minutes before the show went on air to wish her a happy 36th birthday.

But she then stunned the stunning Aussie pop star by launching into a verbal attack.

A source said: “Dannii was crying so badly she had to have her make-up re-done three times. All of Sharon’s frustrations came out.

“Dannii tried to keep calm but there’s not much you can do when Sharon is at full throttle.

“She’s been jealous of Dannii getting all the attention and publicity ever since she was brought on to the show.”

Sharon’s hissy fit comes after The Sun revealed she would NOT be returning for the next series.

There was no sign of the row when the first live final began on Saturday. Sharon, 55, and Dannii came on holding hands. But Sharon later walked off the live results show, saying: “I’m out, gone.” And as executive producer Richard Holloway stepped in, she snapped: “******* off, I’ll say what I ********** want.”

Co-judges Dannii, Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh were stunned by the walk-out. Show host Dermot O’Leary told viewers: “Sharon can’t choose between her acts.”

It came after viewers’ votes left two of Sharon’s acts, Kimberley Southwick and Alisha Bennett, bottom placed.

The remaining judges then booted off Kimberley, 19.

A spokeswoman for the ITV1 show said: “Sharon was very upset. We’re hoping she’ll be back next week.”

If Sharon, wife of rocker Ozzie, were not to return she would violate her contract. But an insider said: “She is likely to be back.”

The Sun