[Red Moon]

Rachel's gun salute storm

TROUBLED X Factor hopeful Rachel Hylton was blasted by viewers yesterday for making a gangsta-style gun gesture on the show.

Former crack addict Rachel, 26, shaped her hand like a pistol after winning her sing-off against pub performer Daniel on Saturday night.

The threatening sign — aping street criminals showing their love of guns — outraged fans of the programme, hosted by Dermot O’Leary.

They made angry complaints to ITV1 and telly watchdog Ofcom.

But a show insider said last night that the same gesture had been made by previous X Factor contestants Nicholas Dorsett, 4Tune, Addictiv Ladies and Futureproof.

The source added: “It’s a street gesture, it’s like slang.

“Rachel didn’t mean anything by it. Daniel actually jokingly made the signal back to her.”

An X Factor spokeswoman said: “Rachel in no way meant any offence by her hand gestures on Saturday night.”

Rachel, who has four children and a background of drugs and crime, has attracted close scrutiny while on X Factor. The star, who had two of her kids put into care, was once stabbed and has had boyfriends involved in gun crime.

Rachel also hit the headlines when she fell out with her mentor, Dannii Minogue.

She even refused the Aussie judge’s help with song, styling and performance two weeks ago.

Rachel moaned: “I’m sick of people telling me what to do.

“Dannii don’t know how to pick songs for me.”

Dannii then had a blazing backstage row with X Factor bosses for “badly editing footage of her”.

She was shown giving Rachel control over her performance and then asking her: “Let me know what you’re singing.”

After the footage was shown, Dannii stood up and told the audience angrily: “We work on songs together every week. It was misconstrued in that video.”

Source: The Sun