X Factor runner-up Fleur East has dismissed talk of any “rivalry” between her and X Factor winner Ben Haenow.

East finished second to Haenow in the 2014 show, and recently released her debut single, Sax.

Talking at Global media and entertainment’s annual charity evening, Make Some Noise, she said reports of a rivalry were definitely “over-egged.”

Fleur East (Ian West/PA)
Fleur East (Ian West/PA)

She said: “With me and Ben there’s never been any competition. We genuinely really support each other and we’re so happy for each other.

“When his music comes on the radio, I get butterflies in my stomach, exactly the same way as when my song comes on.

“There’s no rivalry at all.”

Fleur and Ben were both signed to Simon Cowell’s label, Syco, following their stints on the X Factor.

Ben Haenow (Ian West/PA)
Ben Haenow (Ian West/PA)

She said working with Simon has been “one of the highlights of my year. He’s a music mogul and his opinion is so valuable to me, so when I hear him say ‘I heard Sax and I love it’, I’ve got to pinch myself, this is Simon Cowell”.

She also revealed the advice he’d given her was to “be myself, to have a voice and to not become a puppet. He’s given me a lot of free rein and a lot of creative freedom, he’s just let me do my thing”.